Israel - Sources of State Practice in International Law

Abstract

On 14 May 1948, upon the expiration of the British Mandate, the provisional State Council, the predecessor of the Knesset (Israel's Parliament), declared the establishment of Israel as a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. This paper provides a concise history of the changes of sovereignty, with particular emphasis on the main pertinent events that have taken place since the beginning of the 20th Century, which are crucial to the discussion of State practice resulting from the changes of sovereignty, the practice regarding succession during the British Mandate, and Israel's practice regarding state succession.

In particular, the paper addresses the concessions made between the Ottoman Government and nationals of the Contracting Parties to the Treaty of Lausanne, the pensions that Israel had undertaken to pay to former officials of the British Mandatory Government resident in Israel, and the settlement by mediation of claims relating to German property previously owned by the members of the Templar Society, who were expelled from the Land of Israel/ Palestine by the British Mandatory during WWII.

The paper addresses further treaty ratification and implementation in Israel, and provides an annotated bibliography of sources of international law.

Keywords: Israel, state succession, Ottoman Empire, British Mandate, concessions, Templar Society, treaty ratification, sources of international law

JEL Classification: K33