What does the recognition of a Palestinian state actually mean? The 4 conditions for a sovereign country to be internationally recognized

France and 14 countries, including Canada and Australia, “invite” the countries of the world to express the will to recognize a Palestinian state, the French Foreign Minister Jean-Notl Barrot said at the conclusion of an UN ministerial conference, AFP reports. But what does the recognition of a Palestinian state mean?

In international law, the 1933 Montevideo Convention established four conditions for the recognition of a sovereign state: a permanent population, well -defined borders, a functional government and the ability to maintain international relations. Objective criteria that do not include recognition by other countries as a prerequisite for the full existence of a state. In other words, the existence of a state is independent of its recognition by other states.

But the state of Palestine is already recognized by three quarters of the UN Member States (147 of 193 countries), recalls the conservative Israeli newspaper “Yediot Aharonot” in its English edition.

Among these countries, “The Guardian” notes, are states of weight such as China, India and Russia. In May 2024, other European countries, including Ireland, Spain and Norway, joined Slovenia a month later, recognized the state of Palestine, while Mexico did this earlier this year.

“When France announced its intention to recognize Palestine, no G7 country had engaged [încă] In this regard, ”the British newspaper points out.

The Israeli press quickly questioned the political and diplomatic share of French and British statements, realizing that they could open the way to other recognitions, especially from Canada and Australia.
“Yediot Aharonot” presents the opinion of Israeli lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky, who believes that the Palestinian authority does not meet the fundamental legal criteria to become a state, especially because of the absence of “defined borders, the ability to maintain authentic diplomatic relations and a real interest for peace.”

For his part, Sky News (United States) notes that Palestine state borders are to be established: “Many believe that they should be the same as before 1967, but since then, an increasing number of Israeli settlements have been set up in the Westordan, where about 600,000 Israelians, as well as in Jerusalem, are now living.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK will recognize a Palestinian state in September, unless Israel fulfills certain conditions, including the agreement on an armistice in Gaza and the resurrection of a two-state solution.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted angrily to the announcement, saying that the decision rewarded “Monstrous Terrorism of Hamas.”

Palestine enjoys a high degree of international recognition, diplomatic missions abroad and teams competing in sports competitions, including at the Olympic Games.

However, due to the long -term dispute of Palestinians with Israel, it has no borders agreed internationally, neither capital, nor army.

Due to the military occupation of Israel, in the Westordan, the Palestinian authority, established following the peace agreements of the 1990s, does not have full control over its territory or population. Gaza, where Israel is also occupying power, is in the middle of a devastating war.

Given its status of quasi-state, recognition is inevitably somewhat symbolic. It will represent a strong moral and political statement, but will change a little on the ground.

But symbolism is strong. As the Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized in his UN Tuesday's speech, “the United Kingdom wears a special burden of responsibility to support the solution with two states.”

He continued to cite the Balfour statement of 1917 – signed by his predecessor as Foreign Secretary, Arthur Balfour – who first expressed the support of the United Kingdom for “setting up a national home for the Jewish people.”

But that statement, said Lammy, came up with a solemn promise “that nothing will be done that could harm the civil and religious rights of the non -Jewish communities in Palestine.”

Israel's supporters often stressed that Lord Balfour did not explicitly refer to Palestinians, nor did he say anything about their national rights.

But the territory previously known as Palestine, led by the United Kingdom by a mandate of the League of Nations between 1922 and 1948, has long been considered an unfinished international job.

Israel was founded in 1948, but the efforts to create a parallel state, Palestine, failed for a variety of reasons.

As Lammy said, politicians “got used to saying the words” a two-state solution “.

The expression refers to the creation of a Palestinian state, along with Israel, in the Westordan, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, largely on the model that existed before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

But the international efforts to bring a solution with two states were in vain, and the colonization by Israel of large parts of the Westordania, illegal according to international law, has transformed the concept into a largely empty slogan.

The state of Palestine has a “permanent observer state” status, allowing participation, but without voting rights.

Given that France also promises recognition in the coming weeks and assuming that the United Kingdom will continue with recognition, Palestine will soon enjoy the support of four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the other two being China and Russia).

This will leave the United States, by far the most powerful ally of Israel, in a minority alone.

Washington has recognized the Palestinian authority, currently led by Mahmoud Abbas, since the mid-1990s, but failed to recognize a state itself.

Several American presidents have expressed their support for the eventual creation of a Palestinian state. But Donald Trump is not one of them. Under his two administrations, US policy has strongly inclined in favor of Israel.

Without the support of the nearest and most powerful ally of Israel, it is impossible to imagine a process of peace that will lead to a final solution with two states.

For drafting this article were used as BBC and Courrier International sources