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Last update - 21:20 15/09/2008 Who is the sovereign here? By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Yitzhar, Israel, riots  Dozens of armed settlers from settlements in Samaria, and in particular from Yitzhar, rioted two days ago in the village of Asira al-Kabaliya after a 9-year-old boy was stabbed by a Palestinian who infiltrated Shalhevet Yam, near the settlement of Yitzhar. The Palestinian's crime served as justification for mass delinquency by the settlers, who went there to shoot and destroy. The men in uniform from the Israel Defense Forces and police were made to look like fools. One can learn by rote the international law that stipulates that the army is the sovereign in occupied territory (and that the police are subordinate to it), but in reality, there is no basis for this. For all practical purposes, the law is not the law, the settlers are the sovereign, and matters are handled as they decide. As was to be expected, the commanders at the site have a ready answer to complaints about them: The soldiers and policemen are in order, perhaps also the lawyers who prepare the indictments against the people suspected of participating in the violence; the problems lie with the judges who are too lenient and forgiving. This claim is not completely untenable. In the law-enforcement system as well, the weakest link in the chain causes a breakdown, and in the courts there are too many hearings in which the judges take pity on the young Israelis who have attacked Palestinians and their property. The defendants end up with a light sentence that does not deter them. They return to the territories and to their exploits, and even when they appear in court for a second or third time, sometimes in the courtrooms of the very same judges, the result is similar and does not make it possible to fight their delinquency with determination. Advertisement It is not correct, however, to place everything at the doorstep of the courts. The military and police links in the chain, even if they are less brittle than the judicial link, are still very fragile, and very soft on settlers who break the law. This is true both in word and deed. It is rare to hear a senior officer in the IDF or police express himself as vehemently as Col. Amir Baram did when he ended his term as brigade commander in the area of Yitzhar. Baram - who made the comments only on the eve of his departure for studies abroad - was an exception, both because officers seek to distinguish the violent minority from the moderate majority of settlers and because very few people dare anger the settler extremists, lest they become targets. The settlers are there forever with their ostentatious political power, while the officers come to do a job for two years or so and then move on; their main objective is to avoid getting into trouble. This state of affairs makes a mockery of Israel's pretensions to improve the Palestinians' quality of life. There is not much point in removing roadblocks and giving incentives to the economy if at the same time there is a private body operating in the area that belittles the government and promotes its own agenda. Fifty-five years ago, the world did not believe David Ben-Gurion's claim, made the day after the IDF's attack on Qibya, that it was enraged "settlers" who carried out a private act of retaliation in response to murders. Today the only possible interpretation of the government's oversights in its handling of the rioting settlers is that the situation is convenient for the government, which prefers it to confrontation with the rioters. As long as Israel hesitates to impose its military sovereignty on the territories it has occupied, its ability to demand that the Palestinian Authority implement its power in the territories under its control will be impeded. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Unexpected guest Clinton cancels spot at Jewish groups' anti-Iran rally over Palin invite. Critique served cold Ex-IDF chief Ya'alon says the air force failed in the Second Lebanon War.   1.   More power to the "Settlers" 22:22  |  Y. Kreminsky 15/09/08   2.   It`s Lefties championed by "Haretz" who`s made the IDF into fools 22:34  |  Absolute Sweden 15/09/08   3.   Israel not a state, just a destructive riff-raff .. 22:35  |  Chanalau, Tova 15/09/08   4.   Ben-Gurion didn`t apologize for killing Jews, though 22:47  |  Rob 15/09/08   5.   1 so standing up for your rights 23:24  |  Dave Duncan 15/09/08   6.   They already look like fools when they fail to protect Jews 06:57  |  JM 16/09/08   7.   Tova- get a brain and reality 09:45  |  sz 16/09/08   8.   understanding justice 14:15  |  Amom 16/09/08   9.   what`s new under the sun? 21:27  |  Absolutly Sweden 16/09/08   10.   arab squaters break the law+govt deny self defence 09:31  |  sam 17/09/08   11.   More lopsided justice from Israel 10:51  |  Dutch 17/09/08   12.   sz 12:00  |  A.M. 17/09/08

Read & React Clinton cancels spot at Jewish groups' anti-Iran rally over Palin invite Responses: 56 U.S. Jews outraged over phone campaign alleging 'Obama gave money to PLO' Responses: 99 IAEA shows photos alleging Iran nuclear missile works Responses: 36 Ex-IDF chief Ya'alon: Air force failed in Second Lebanon War Responses: 37 Settlers: IDF backed down from plan to evacuate West Bank outpost Responses: 79 More Headlines 17:49 Livni to voters: Choose change, show you're sick of same old politics 18:36 Kadima leadership race: What happens next 18:43 Clinton cancels spot at Jewish groups' anti-Iran rally over Palin invite 18:21 U.S.: Strike on Yemen embassy was attempt to breach its walls 11:01 Settlers face down IDF, prevent evacuation of West Bank outpost 18:03 Bank of Israel chief holds emergency talks over global financial crisis 18:07 Auschwitz security officers arrest Nazi memorabilia dealer 19:09 Catholic Poles take initiative to save Jewish cemeteries 14:24 Panel: State failed to include funds for earthquake safety in 2009 budget 11:15 U.S. Jews outraged over phone campaign alleging 'Obama gave money to PLO' 11:12 Ex-IDF chief Ya'alon: Air force failed in Second Lebanon War 13:28 Police arrest fifth suspect in connection with senior physician 13:10 Palestinian official: Olmert, Abbas to meet as long as PM stays in office 08:48 IDF rejects bid to up charges in case of prisoner shot in leg at Na'alin protest Previous Editions Select Day 16 sep 15 sep 14 sep 12 sep 11 sep 10 sep 09 sep 08 sep 07 sep 05 sep 04 sep 03 sep

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