Palestinian Statehood: Trapped between Rhetoric and Realpolitik

Abstract

The article considers the legal aspects of the Palestinian application for full membership of the United Nations (UN) in September 2011 as well as the the admission of Palestine to UNESCO as a full member in October 2011. The article also addresses the 2009 Palestinian declaration recognising the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The admission of Palestine as a non-member observer State by an overwhelming vote of the UN General Assembly is considered in a postscript not included in this pre-publication version of the article.

Keywords: International Law, United Nations, Statehood, recognition, Palestine, International Criminal Court

JEL Classification: K33