Occupation or an occupied territory – What is it?

A “...territory is considered occupied when it is actually placed under the authority of the hostile army. The occupation extends only to the territory where such authority has been established and can be exercised.” (Article 42 of the Hague Regulations.)

Read more about the Hague Regulations

Once a situation exist which amounts to an occupation, the law of occupation applies – motives for the presence of the foreign military forces are irrelevant. The question is a matter of facts. It does not make a difference whether an occupation has received UN Security Council approval or what its aim is for the applicability of the law of occupation.

Occupation does not give the occupying power sovereignty over the territory; occupation is only temporary.