I am not educated —but I seem to recall a doctrine called the Laws of Nations— and the Right of Conquest. Which unless I am mistaken says essentially that a nation attacked by another -if it is victorious has the right to claim disputed territory it deems necessary to assure its right to exist in peace. Unless I am mistaken since it was recognized by the UN
Israel ( the Modern State) has been harassed, and attacked by its neighbors repeatedly. and the 67 War —and Israeli occupation among the latest— I believe ALL other nations ought butt out of telling Israel it must pull out and pull back to the original territory.But I also believe America should have recognized Jerusalem as the Capitol if Israel from the git go and should have place dour Embassy there as a sign to the bloody freakin Arabs.
You are right.
A better way to view it, though, is to think of Israel’s Arab population as demanding independence, or secession, from Israel. Israel can’t force people to be loyal, Israel is better off without the Palestinians.
The land they are fighting over is vital to Israel in 3 ways. It represents a defensive line (especially the hills) that it needs to slow approaching armies. It has significant cultural, historical and (and tourist) relevance to its people. And it is rich in natural resources - namely water and possibly shale/oil.
The Arabs want it for the same reasons, though in the case of defense they want it to keep Israel threatened, and in the case of culture and history they want it as a captured prize (the city has no historic or cultural relevance except that they can say they captured it from the Jews). Of course they want the water and oil, as any nation would.
It is made complicated because the land was annexed by Jordan, though the UN never accepted that annexation everyone else did. Now that Israel has it, it is an abomination! (sarcasm) that must be “returned?” - to whom?
If the world were to look at it as a secessionist movement it would be easier to resolve. But they have fallen for Arab propaganda and call into Question whether Israel had a right to even be formed. It did, for the same reason that the Palestinians should ultimately have a state. They are there, they are one people unified, and they want it. All it comes down to is the size of the land and the borders.