West Bank Annexation: Law, Politics and Territories amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
During these times of confusion and
uncertainty, where the human perception of what is “normal” has been
completely altered, the world’s efforts are geared toward combatting the COVID-19
pandemic. Order and solidarity are more essential than ever before. However,
Israel is not on the same page as others salvaging the human condition. In the
most malicious and exploitative manner, Israel is taking advantage of the
Corona virus situation not only to ramp up aggression and violations against
Palestinians, but also to continue its annexation project of the West Bank, part of a
continuous policy aimed at exhausting the Palestinians and pushing them to give
up their right to self-determination.
Exploiting the COVID-19 Pandemic to Change De Facto to De Jure
Annexation
Notably,
Israeli aggression and violations of Palestinians’ human rights include, but
are not limited to illegal expropriation of lands, demolition of properties, issuing
military demolition orders; land leveling; soil contamination; destruction of farmlands,
crops and grazing areas; attacks on herds and herders; arson attacks by
colonial settlers on lands and properties; and physical assault on Palestinian
citizens, especially Bedouins and farmers in Area C. The following are some
statistics of escalated Israeli aggression and violations of Palestinians’ rights
specifically those pertaining to land and housing, as well as the variance in
escalation and level of aggression as observed during the pandemic and compared
to the pre-COVID-19 era: