User:Tiamut/Palestine (state)

Palestine is a term used to refer to the State of Palestine, an entity recognized by over 100 countries in the world. Palestine can also refer to ancient Palestine and classical/contemporary Palestine, once known as British Mandate Palestine and today known as Israel, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. This article deals with the new Palestine (Palestine as it is or is to-be today). 

The State of Palestine was proclaimed on 15 November 1988 by the Palestine National Council at a meeting in Algiers, by a vote of 253 to 46. Land was granted to the state, by Egypt (Gaza Strip) and Jordan (West Bank), but this land is under full Israeli occupation, and parts of these lands are used to establish Jewish colonies. The boundaries of the State have not been declared.

Francis C. Boyle argues that "as long ago as 1919 the Palestinian people were provisionally recognized as an independent nation by the League of Nations in League Covenant Article 22(4) as well as by the 1922 Mandate for Palestine that was awarded to Great Britain. This provisional recognition continues into effect today because of the conservatory clause found in Article 80(1) of the United Nations Charter. Pursuant to the basic right of self-determination of peoples as recognized by U.N. Charter Article 1(2) and by the International Court of Justice in its Namibia and Western Sahara Advisory Opinions, the Palestinian people have proceeded to proclaim their own independent state in the land they have continuously occupied for thousands of years." 

The State of Palestine has a draft constitution

Boyle: "Over 114 states have already recognized the newly proclaimed state of Palestine, which is more than the 93 that maintain some form of diplomatic relations with Israel. Furthermore, on 15 December 1988 the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 43/177, essentially recognizing the new state of Palestine and according it observer-state status throughout the United Nations Organization. That resolution was adopted by a vote of 104 in favor, the United States and Israel opposed, and 44 states abstaining. For reasons fully explained in my position paper, the General Assembly's recognition of the new state of Palestine is constitutive, definitive, and universally determinative."

Over 100 countries have recognized the state:

Boyle in 200: "Today the State of Palestine is recognized de jure by about 125 states or so around the world, the only significant geographical exception being Europe. Even then, most of the states of Europe accord Palestine de facto recognition as an Independent State. The only reason why these European states have not accorded Palestine de jure recognition as an Independent State is massive political pressure that has been applied upon them by the United States Government. Palestine is also a Member State of the League of Arab States, which is the appropriate "Regional Arrangement" organized under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. In addition, Palestine has Observer State Status at the United Nations Organization. Indeed, today Palestine would be a Member State of the United Nations Organization if not for illegal threats made by the United States Government to keep Palestine out of the United Nations.

Nevertheless undaunted, on 15 December 1988 the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 43/177, essentially recognizing the then month-old State of Palestine. That Resolution was adopted by a vote of 104 in favor, the United States and Israel opposed, and 44 states abstaining. For reasons fully explained elsewhere,4 such General Assembly recognition of the State of Palestine is constitutive, definitive, and universally determinative."

The United States of America and the European Union countries did not recognize the State of Palestine when over 100 countries did in the wake of the Algiers Decalation and "their non-recognition made this declaration of independence purely 'symbolic' in their own eyes and, unfortunately, in most Palestinian and other eyes as well." 

in 1988
Afghanistan (16/11), Albania (17/11), Algeria (15/11), Angola (6/12), Bahrain (15/12), Bangladesh (16/11), Benin, Bhutan (25/12), Botswana (19/12), Brunei (17/11), Bulgaria (25/11), Burkina (21/11), Burundi (22/12), Byelorussian SSR (19/11), Cape Verde (24/11), Central African Republic (23/12), Chad (1/12), China (20/11), Comoros (21/11), Congo (5/12), Cuba (16/11), Czechoslovakia (18/11 - later recognized by Czech Republic), Democratic Kampuchea (18/11), Democratic People's Republic of Korea (24/11), Democratic Yemen (15/11), Djibouti (17/11), Egypt (18/11), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon (12/12), Gambia, German Democratic Republic (18/11), Ghana (29/11), Guinea (19/11), Guinea-Bissau (21/11), Hungary (23/11), India (18/11), Indonesia (15/11), Iraq (15/11), Jordan (16/11), Kenya, Kuwait (15/11), Lao People's Democratic Republic (2/12), Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahariya (15/11), Madagascar (16/11), Malaysia (15/11), Maldives (28/11), Mali (21/11), Malta (16/11), Mauritania (15/11), Mauritius (17/11), Mongolia (21/11), Morocco (15/11), Mozambique (8/12), Namibia (SWAPO) (19/11), Nepal (19/12), Nicaragua (16/11), Niger (21/11), Nigeria (18/11), Oman (13/12), Pakistan (16/11), People's Republic of Kampuchea (21/11), Poland (14/12), Qatar (16/11), Romania (24/11), Sao Tome and Principe (10/12), Saudi Arabia (16/11), Senegal (22/11), Seychelles (18/11), Sierra Leone (3/12), Somalia (15/11), Sri Lanka (18/11), Sudan (17/11), Togo (29/11), Tunisia (15/11), Turkey (15/11), Uganda (3/12), Ukrainian SSR (19/11 - later recognized by Ukraine), USSR (19/11 - later recognized by Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan), United Arab Emirates (16/11), United Republic of Tanzania (24/11), Viet Nam (19/11), Yemen (15/11), Yugoslavia (16/11 - later recognized by Serbia), Zaire (10/12), Zambia (16/11), Zimbabwe (29/11). 

in 1989
Ethiopia (4/2), Iran (4/2), Rwanda (2/1)

Interesting facts

 * India claims to be the first non-Arab country to accord recognition to the State of Palestine in November, 1988 . It was however preceded by Afghanistan, Albania, Cuba, Madagascar, Malaysia, among others.
 * China, Jordan and Qatar upgraded PLO missions in their countries to embassies in January of 1989, in recognition of the State of Palestine.

Recent recognitions

 * Phillipines - date of recognition unknown, but as of 2007, diplomats were referring to "State of Palestine"
 * South Africa recognized the State of Palestine on 15 February 1995.
 * Costa Rica is the most recent country to recognize Palestine as a state as of February of 2008.