Apostilles Or Authentication, Does Anyone Know The Difference?
Dr. Mary Ethridge
Palestine is not Israel and Israel knows it or they would have included Palestine under the Hague conventions. But they
can't. Palestine isn't Israel after all.
I had to learn about them to send legal paperwork to Palestine.
It was a most revealing process. To send paperwork to Israel I would have needed Apostilles as they are under the Hague
Conventions, and all the nations in member countries use a form of verification of notary seals and signatures called
Apostilles. All the other nations in the world apparently use a form of documentation called Authentication.
Israel keeps treating the West Bank and Gaza as if they are their property to settle in, and to make decisions over.
Well, I learned Palestine can not be a part of Israel because they don't use Apostilles but require Authentication
instead. They are totally different and therefore they are totally separate nations. If Palestine were indeed Israel,
then Apostilles would be the order of the day.
Such a little thing to be so revealing. Just a sheet of paper with a form printed out on it. The same basic information
but telling so much more. Palestine is not Israel and Israel knows it or they would have included Palestine under the
Hague conventions. But they can't. Palestine isn't Israel after all.
So that bring up another question. If Palestine is not Israel, then why is Israel building the wall or fence as they
call it, down the middle of Palestine?
I live in the American west. If you were my neighbor and you started building a fence out in the middle of my property
you might end up with a shooting war out here or at the least a lawsuit. Knowing my neighbors if you did it to some of
them there would be hot led flying. Why is the world allowing Israel to live as squatters on Palestinian land and why
are they allowed to build a fence in the middle of the neighbors property?
Don't property rights and water rights mean anything in this day or is it just because it is Israel who is playing the
thief? Olmert has said he will make the new boarder unilaterally, without Palestinian input. Well that is just plain
old-fashioned stealing.
The funniest part of this whole puzzle is the one about Hamas. Fatah has been in power (such as it was) under the
Palestinian Authority that was created in negotiations about 1991 I believe. In 2005 it was announced there would be
another election in Palestine. A democratic election! Well for all the Israelis hindered the candidates, as usual, and
America took sides and poured in her million dollars or so, Hamas, who neither one wanted, won. Suddenly we are hearing
the rhetoric from the days of Arafat.. there is no peace partner to negotiate with. The thing I was referring to and
called it funny, is perhaps more irony than humor. Hamas is the only group that included resistance fighters who were
not breaking the cease-fire during the past year. Israel was the chief offender but they don't think that counts. All
the other groups including Fatah were breaking the cease-fire, if not in aggression, then at the least in retaliation.
BUT America and Israel will not talk to Hamas who has been the one honestly peaceful faction in this whole fiasco.
Well, So much for peace. We can see Israel doesn't want it and America won't actually back it, so it looks like it has
little chance of happening. Israel can not have peace. If peace were to happen Israel would have to give up her stolen
lands and go home back across the pre 1967 boarders. Israel can neither afford honesty or peace.
Mail sent to Palestine may have to go through Israel where customs agents send on half filled boxes of clothing and
personal items we have sent to family or friends there. Customs agent must be the best-dressed bunch around. They keep
half of what I send. A nice watch, a jacket and lots of clothing. Others I talk to say the same thing. It gets a bit
depressing when you can not predict what will catch their fancy so you can send more of something else. It seems we can
not even insure packages going into to Palestine because it has to go through Israeli thieves first. Oh sorry, I meant
customs.
In the mail department and customs you'd think Palestine and Israel were actually one but when you get down to the
actuality of the facts, the choice of which to use, Apostilles or Authentication for legal documents tells the real
story. They are two different unrelated nations after all. Then there is the fact that Israel has been handing the
Palestinian customs money over to Palestine. Isn't that also recognition of the Palestinians as a separate nation?
I'm wondering what is the status of all the legal paperwork for Jews who did live in Gaza and those in the West Bank. If
they used Apostilles then their papers are not legal because Palestine is not under the Hague conventions. If they used
Authentication but submitted it to Israel instead of to Palestinian Authority because Israel is under the Hague
conventions, it is illegal. So are their marriage and other documents all illegal? It is an intriguing thought isn't it?
ENDS