"Occupied", "Disputed", "Administered" or "Liberated" Territories

MyRightWord

Judea, Samaria and Gaza were part of the geographic area awarded, by historic right, to the Jewish people to become the reconstituted Jewish national home. That was confirmed by international law.

They were not part of Israel between 1948-1967 because, in violation and contravention of the UN recommendation of Partition of November 29, 1947, Arabs launched an aggressive war and Israel was not capable, militarily, of maintaining any control therein. In 1967, following further Arab aggression and an unending terror campaign, both of fedayeen and the PLO for the previous 19 years, Israel assumed administration over Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

Deputy-Minister Danny Ayalon has recently produced a video arguing for and explaining why these territories should be considered "disputed" and surely not "occupied". Over the past 40 years we have come to hear other terms: "Occupied", "Disputed" or "Administered".

But could they be "liberated"?

Consider this (thanks to Howard Grief):


ANGLO-FRENCH DECLARATION

November 7, 1918

The goal envisaged by France and Great Britain in prosecuting in the East the War let loose by German ambition is the complete and final liberation of the peoples who have for so long been oppressed by the Turks, and the setting up of national governments and administrations deriving their authority from the free exercise of the initiative and choice of the indigenous populations.

In pursuit of those intentions, France and Great Britain agree to further and assist in the establishment of indigenous Governments and administrations in Syria and Mesopotamia which have already been liberated by the Allies, as well as in those territories which they are engaged in securing and recognizing these as soon as they are actually established.

Far from wishing to impose on the populations of those regions any particular institutions they are only concerned to ensure by their support and by adequate assistance the regular working of Governments and administrations freely chosen by the populations themselves; to secure impartial and equal justice for all; to facilitate the economic development of the country by promoting and encouraging local initiative; to foster the spread of education; and to put an end to the dissensions which Turkish policy has for so long exploited. Such is the task which the two Allied Powers wish to undertake in the liberated territories.


So, they really could be liberated territories.