Alerts and Reports 

From judge to shyster

Edmond Levy took off the robe of a Supreme Court judge – and under it was revealed a shyster, a Likud Party hack providing his client with a highly dubious, made-to-order legal opinion. After 45 years of oppressive military rule former judge Levy discovered that the West Bank is "not an Occupied Territory" and that the settlement enterprise is a pure, lily-white business.

Outside Israel's borders Levi's assertions would be greeted with laughter and derision, if anybody bothers to take notice of them at all. The International Court of Justice, which is the highest interpreter of International Law, ruled unequivocally in 2004 that the West Bank is indeed an Occupied Territory; that Israel may not build settlements or boundary fences inside this territory. The Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory, specifically states that an Occupying Power is not entitled to settle its own citizens in the Occupied Territory, regardless whether it is on private land or on state land. Also the Supreme Court of Israel of which was a member, decided that in a territory under military rule it is forbidden to confiscate lands for the purpose of building settlements.

The government may be tempted to use Levy's fabrication in order to undermine the rulings of the Supreme Court - a very transparent fig leaf.