Saturday, June 27, 2015

Holy See enters Treaty Recognizing State of Palestine

Prime Minister of Palestine and Pope
It is official. Palestine has been recognized as a State by the Holy See, but as you might already have guessed not everyone is smiling about the occasion. The State of Israel has been quick to offer its two cents explaining that an international accord with the Holy See tarnishes years of direct discussions between Israel and Palestine. The Vatican, on the other hand; sees this move as a step in a positive direction so as to facilitate "peace in the middle east" between two of some of the world's greatest foes.

What doesn't help Israel's case is that it has been indicted by the International Criminal Court ("ICC") at the Hague, Netherlands for international war crimes against the people of Palestine. While Israel has been raising and exhausting as many objections as they can, The Vatican recognizing Palestine as a State will surely aide the ICC in their journey to view Palestine as a State and hold parties accountable for their actions in violation of international conventions. A ballsy move by the State of Israel is the subtle questioning of the ICC's competence and jurisdiction in the affairs of Israel in the first place. "For whatever reason," the ICC has not brought the matter to trial…yet.

At this time, over 130 countries worldwide have officially recognized Palestine as a State, but Palestine does not require so much recognition to exercise the Right to self-determination (aka self-government). According to the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States of 1933, it can declare Independence for itself without unjustified interference so long as it satisfies the four elements of Statehood.


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