# What is the best defense of the apartheid-like system Israel enforces in occupied/settled/disputed territories?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-defense-of-the-apartheid-like-system-israel-enforces-in-occupied-settled-disputed-territories/1030314>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 22, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-defense-of-the-apartheid-like-system-israel-enforces-in-occupied-settled-disputed-territories/1030314 "2026-05-22T17:23:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 94

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [May 30, 2026, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-defense-of-the-apartheid-like-system-israel-enforces-in-occupied-settled-disputed-territories/1030314/94 "2026-05-30T00:52:03Z")

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> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> But what does that have to do with the OP? Or are you saying that if a country is attacked a bunch of times, you think they are justified in violating the human rights of civilians if they are part of a population that has been involved in some of these past attacks?

It has everything to do with the OP. I’m saying that if a country is attacked a bunch of times year after year it’s _inevitable_ that they will fight back and that civilians in the attacking country will get hurt. I’d go further that if it was any _other_ country that was subjected to what Israel has been subjected to that the Palestinians would have experienced actual genocide years ago. Consistent with decisions by UN bodies, I don’t think Palestinians have been subjected to genocide so far, and that the reason they throw around such an accusation is because Hamas has an _explicit_ policy of genocide, eg “From the river to the sea.” Hamas just doesn’t have the military power to back it up.

Look I understand that you want to discuss the issue on terrain favorable to you, but Palestinian intransigence, internal repression, and not coincidentally the weakness of their peace movement before October 2023 (I don’t expect anything now) have everything to do with Israel’s tough policies. That and their small geography, in terms of square kilometers.

I have no idea how to get the settlers to suck it up over the short or long run.

> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> . Take away the Zionism and I don’t think it is possible to justify West Bank settlements in the first instance.

“Facts on the ground”. They preceded the creation of the Palestinian authority. They create a buffer between Israel and their right flank.

* * *

Yeah, the situation is bad. I’ll take the authors of the Advisory Opinion of the International Criminal Court at their word that the occupation and settlements are in violation of international law (by a vote of about 11-4). Other than jailing Nentanyahu, I don’t know what to do about it.

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