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Israel's Sovereignty Claims over the Jordan Valley Are Legitimate

(The Federalist) Erielle Davidson - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu never used the word "annexation" on Tuesday regarding his plan to formalize Israeli sovereignty in the Jordan Valley. Instead, he spoke of "applying sovereignty." There is a reason for his careful choice of wording, and for its mistranslation and misrepresentation abroad. A nation cannot annex land over which it already has sovereign claims. Yet foreign media is doing its best to portray the potential application of sovereignty in the Jordan Valley as illegitimate. In 1948, Jordan conquered the West Bank in a war of aggression aimed at destroying the Jewish state. Following the war, it was nearly unanimously held that Jordan did not possess any legitimate claim of sovereignty over the territory, so Israel's claims of sovereignty remained. Moreover, when Israel liberated the West Bank, it was understood by many scholars to be in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which permits a nation to act in self-defense. This may allow the non-aggressor to assume control over territory previously held by the aggressor.
2019-09-12 00:00:00
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