Reply #22: A Good Lawyer, Sir, Can Indeed Argue Anything

[The Magistrate]

But a good lawyer cannot argue successfully that the settlements are not a breech of international law, not any longer. There is now a World Court decision that the Geneva Convention, which Israel has signed, does apply to the areas over-run in '67, and to their administration by Israel. That is precedent, that will be upheld in any future court proceeding on the subject. The portion of the Geneva Convention that forbids a country to establish its people on an occupied territory is quite clear, and does not admit of much weaseling, by however skilled an advocate. The variety of subsidies settlers enjoy, and the Israeli government's general refusal to enforce fully its own laws on the matter, establish beyond convincing rebuttal the activity is one engaged in by the government, and no mere private venture.