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SUMMARY:Demarcating Boundaries. Geopolitical\, Legal and Ethical Considera
 tions in the Construction of an Israeli-Palestinian Border - Professor Dav
 id Newman (Dept of Politics and Government\, Ben Gurion University\, Israe
 l and Visiting Leverhulme Professor\, University of Bristol 2006-2007)
DTSTART:20061130T161500Z
DTEND:20061130T173000Z
UID:TALK5675@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:4217
DESCRIPTION:Most of the world's territorial boundaries have long been dete
 rmined as the delimitors of State sovereignty. Few ethno-territorial confl
 icts of the contemporary era are focused around positional and legal dispu
 tes over the location of land borders. While the "borderless world" thesis
  is not relevant to large parts of the world\, one cannot escape the fact 
 that borders have become (at least until the events of 9/11) easier to cro
 ss and\, in some cases (such as in Western Europe) have opened up altogeth
 er.\n\nOnly two of Israel's land borders\, with Egypt and Jordan\, are rec
 ognised as constituting internationally recognized boundaries. The borders
  with Syria\, Lebanon and a future Palestinian State have yet to be determ
 ined through future bilateral agreements which will be acceptable to both 
 sides and will be sanctioned by the international community. The ultimate 
 demarcation and delimitation of these borders will have major implications
 \, not only for the physical security and sovereignty of the respective co
 untries\, but also for the verify nature of the State and the way in which
  its national ethos and identity is determined.\n\nThis is particularly th
 e case regarding the Israel - Palestine border. The Green Line\, separatin
 g Israel from the West Bank since 1948\, has only ever had the status of a
 n armistice line\, although some commentators would argue that the de fact
 o recognition of this line by the international community\, affords it wit
 h legally binding status. An alternative line\, the course of the Separati
 on Barrier which has been constructed by successive Israeli governments du
 ring the past four years\, is problematic from a legal and ethical standpo
 int. In the first instance it has been unilaterally superimposed upon the 
 landscape by the Israeli government\, with no consultation with the Palest
 inian Authority. Moreover\, it has resulted in the de facto annexation of 
 West Bank land to the Israeli side of the boundary\, including areas which
  contain Israeli settlements. Ultimate demarcation of an Israeli-Palestini
 an boundary must be undertaken on a bilateral basis resulting in an agreem
 ent between the two sides\, and must take into account a myriad of securit
 y\, demographic\, economic and landuse factors\, including the possible ex
 change of land between the two sides\, if the final border is to deviate f
 rom the course of the Green Line. 
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, Department of Geography\, Downing Site
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