| Abstract: | The purpose of the study was to assess and to examine the involvement of
Palestine statehood in the United Nations for six decades. Although there are
principles of international law in the Montevideo Convention that set out the
definition, rights and duties of statehood which, in turn regulate the states’
behaviours by imposing obligations and sanctions; the Palestine’s people
repeated requests for statehood has not yet been solved for long period of
time. The general objective of this study was to define and to characterize the
notion of statehood as it exists in the present-day international legal order,
and to examine whether or not such criteria exist in Palestine. To achieve
these objectives, non-doctrinal research design and qualitative research
approach were used to collect primary data from key informants using
interview guide. Secondary data were also generated from relevant different
documents through documentary analysis template/matrix. The findings of
the study show that the opposition by two veto powerful states alone
prevented Palestine’s rights to be admitted as a member state to the UN.
However, the UN was found to be have an arbitrator role. Palestine used
the unilateral action to acquire statehood, but her attempt failed. Therefore,
the PLO had only observer entity status. Nevertheless, Palestines believed
that more than two-third of the General Assembly would recognize their
statehood. In the UN, there were double standards. There was also
undemocratic nature of voting in the Organization. The relationship between
the United States and Israel in the UN influenced the Palestine’s claims for
statehood. Regarding Palestine, the UN’s situation became a gridlock which
had prevented its claims from pursuing further. In the final analysis, the
power of decision making got absorbed in the hands of the “Big Five’ sates
which may hinder UN from realizing its 1945 envisaged purposes. In
conclusion, the favours on the part of the two veto powers fro Israel, as well
as undemocratic voting practice in the UN has created unfavourable
situation and struggling path for Palestine to achieve statehood status. It is
recommended that those who are engaged in the issue should become more
proactive and should be genuine in promoting the already established
principles and criteria of the statehood in international law to resolve the Palestine statehood. |
