Palestine

Error: please specify at least 1 portal The State of Palestine ( Arabic : دولة فلسطين) was proclaimed on November 15 , 1988 by the Palestinian National Council , the legislative body of the PLO , in Algiers , by a vote of 253-46, with 10 abstentions. The declaration invoked the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) and UN General Assembly Resolution 181 in support of its claim to a "State of Palestine on our Palestinian territory with its capital Jerusalem". It became the most diplomatically successful of a number of efforts to create a Palestinian state , despite the fact that, because the State of Palestine did not have control over any territory at the time, it did not fulfill a typical requirement of an autonomous state — possession of sovereign territory. Currently, the Palestinian National Authority , along with the United States , the European Union , and the Arab League , envision the establishment of a State of Palestine to include all or part of the West Bank , the Gaza Strip , and East Jerusalem , living in peace with Israel under a democratically elected and transparent government. Official language Arabic Proclaimed capital Jerusalem Declaration of Independence 15 November 1988 National anthem Biladi The State of Palestine was recognized immediately by the Arab League , and about half the world's governments recognize it today. It maintains embassies in these countries (which are generally Palestine Liberation Organization delegations). The State of Palestine is not recognized by the United Nations or by any Cold-War-era NATO country. However, some European Union countries, including the United Kingdom , maintain diplomatic ties with the Palestinian Authority , established under the Oslo Accords . While the declaration concerns Palestine as defined by the British Mandate of Palestine , which includes the whole of Israel , it is generally interpreted to have recognized Israel within its pre-1967 boundaries, or was at least a major step on the path to recognition. Just as in Israel's declaration of independence , it partly bases its claims on UN GA 181 . By reference to "resolutions of Arab Summits" and "UN resolutions since 1947" (like SC 242 ) it implicitly and perhaps ambiguously restricted its immediate claims to the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem . It was accompanied by a political statement that explicitly mentioned SC 242 and other UN resolutions and called only for withdrawal from " Arab Jerusalem " and the other "Arab territories occupied." [1] Yasser Arafat 's statements in Geneva a month later were accepted by the United States as sufficient to remove the ambiguities it saw in the declaration and to fulfill the longheld conditions for open dialogue with the United States .

English Wikisource has original text related to this article: Palestinian Declaration of Independence The State of Palestine ( , dawlat filastin , or simply Palestine ( , filastin ) is the objective of the Palestinian people . A Palestinian Declaration of Independence was unilaterally declared on 15 November 1988 in Algiers by the Palestine Liberation Organization 's (PLO) Palestinian National Council (PNC), but the current status of the declaration is unclear. Some countries recognized Palestine as a state, while other countries announced they welcomed this step without explicitly declaring recognition. The exact number of countries offering recognition is unknown, with different figures being given by various sources. Some countries recognise the PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people ", while others deal with the PLO as the de facto authority in the Palestinian territories. At the time of the 1988 declaration, the PLO did not exercise control over any territory, and designated Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, despite Israeli control. On 28 October 1974, the 1974 Arab League summit held in Rabat designated the PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and reaffirmed their right to establish an independent state of urgency." The PLO has had observer status at the United Nations as an "entity" since 22 November 1974, which entitles it to speak in the UN General Assembly but not to vote. In the United Nations the PLO is classified as a state with limited recognition . In the list of "non-member states and entities", Palestine is categorized under "Other entities having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the sessions and the work of the General Assembly and are maintaining permanent offices at Headquarters". After the Declaration of Independence the United Nations General Assembly officially "acknowledged" the proclamation and voted to change the name of the PLO permanent observer to "Palestine". In 1993, in the Oslo Accords , Israel acknowledged the PLO negotiating team as "representing the Palestinian people ", in return for the PLO recognizing Israel's right to exist in peace, acceptance of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 , and its rejection of "violence and terrorism". No reference is made in the Accords to the 1988 declaration of a State of Palestine. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA), established as a result of the Oslo Accords is an interim administrative body that exercises some governmental functions in parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip . The current President of Palestine is Mahmoud Abbas , serving in his capacity as Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization . Isolated states: a comparative analysis . "Palestine question/Proclamation of State/Designation "Palestine" - GA resolution" .

The State of Palestine ( Dawlat Filasṭīn ) is a de jure sovereign state in the Middle East . Its independence was declared on 15 November 1988 by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Algiers as a government-in-exile . The State of Palestine claims the West Bank and Gaza Strip , with Jerusalem as the designated capital, , with partial control of those areas assumed in 1994 as the Palestinian Authority . Most of the areas claimed by the State of Palestine have been occupied by Israel since 1967 in the aftermath of the Six-Day War . The State of Palestine applied for United Nations (UN) membership in 2011 and in 2012 was granted a non-member observer state status. The October 1974 Arab League summit designated the PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" and reaffirmed "their right to establish an independent state of urgency." In November 1974, the PLO was recognized as competent on all matters concerning the question of Palestine by the UN General Assembly granting them observer status as a "non-state entity" at the UN. After the 1988 Declaration of Independence, the UN General Assembly officially "acknowledged" the proclamation and decided to use the designation "Palestine" instead of "Palestine Liberation Organization" in the UN. In spite of this decision, the PLO did not participate at the UN in its capacity of the State of Palestine's government. In 1993, in the Oslo Accords , Israel acknowledged the PLO negotiating team as "representing the Palestinian people", in return for the PLO recognizing Israel's right to exist in peace, acceptance of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 , and its rejection of "violence and terrorism". As a result, in 1994 the PLO established the Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) territorial administration, that exercises some governmental functions in parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip . In 2007, the Hamas takeover of Gaza Strip politically and territorially divided the Palestinians, with Abbas 's Fatah left largely ruling the West Bank and recognized internationally as the official Palestinian Authority , while Hamas has secured its control over the Gaza Strip . In April 2011, the Palestinian parties signed an agreement of reconciliation , but its implementation had stalled until a unity government was formed on 2 June 2014. On 29 November 2012, in a 138–9 vote (with 41 abstentions and 5 absences), the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 67/19 , upgrading Palestine from an "observer entity" to a " non-member observer state " within the United Nations system , which was described as recognition of the PLO's sovereignty. Palestine's new status is equivalent to that of the Holy See . The UN has permitted Palestine to title its representative office to the UN as "The Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations", and Palestine has instructed its diplomats to officially represent "The State of Palestine"—no longer the Palestinian National Authority. On 17 December 2012, UN Chief of Protocol Yeocheol Yoon declared that "the designation of 'State of Palestine' shall be used by the Secretariat in all official United Nations documents", thus recognising the title 'State of Palestine' as the state's official name for all UN purposes. As of 23 September 2025, 157 ( 81.3%) of the 193 member states of the United Nations have recognised the State of Palestine . Many of the countries that do not recognise the State of Palestine nevertheless recognise the PLO as the "representative of the Palestinian people ". The PLO's Executive Committee is empowered by the Palestinian National Council to perform the functions of government of the State of Palestine. Abbas submits formal application for UN membership"; the original photo is available in the archived version.) Bissio, Robert Remo, ed. The World: A Third World Guide 1995–96 . The attitude of the Palestinians was expressed inter alia in 1988 and 2002. When the Palestine National Council proclaimed in November 1988 the establishment of a Palestinian State, it asserted that Jerusalem was its capital. In October 2002, the Palestinian Legislative Council adopted the Law on the Capital, which stipulates that Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian State, the main seat of its three branches of government. The State of Palestine is the sovereign of Jerusalem and of its holy places. Any statute or agreement that diminishes the rights of the Palestinian State in Jerusalem is invalid. This statute can be amended only with the consent of two-thirds of the members of the Legislative Council. The 2003 Basic Law also asserts that Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine. : Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored ( |url-status= suggested) ( help ) Reprinted from: Wolfrum, Rüdiger (ed.) (online 2008-, print 2011). A senior PA official revealed the plans in an interview with Al-Quds newspaper. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics . The World Bank: Data . The Protocol allows the Palestinian Authority to adopt multiple currencies. In the West Bank , the Israeli new sheqel and Jordanian dinar are widely accepted; while in the Gaza Strip , the Israeli new sheqel and Egyptian pound are widely accepted. "PCBS: On the Eve of the International Day of Refugees (20/06/2013). ..." Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics . State of Palestine. 20 June 2013 . Isolated States: A Comparative Analysis . Sourcebook on Public International Law (Cavendish Publishing sourcebook series ed.). Bethlehem 2000 Draft resolution (A/55/L.3) A/55/PV.54 page 10. "Moreover, we are confident that in the near future we will truly be able to join the international community, represented in the Organization as Palestine, the State that encompasses Bethlehem." Murphy, Kim (10 September 1993). Arafat reaffirms the renunciation of violence in strong terms" . Tenth emergency special session; 23rd plenary meeting . Adds New Name: "State of Palestine" " . President Mahmoud Abbas , Christmas 2012: "133 countries that took the courageous step of recognizing the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders." Sayigh, Yezid (1999).

De jure state in the Middle East 32°00′N 35°15′E  /  32.000°N 35.250°E  / 32.000; 35.250 Palestine ( Filasṭīn ), recognized officially as the State of Palestine ( Dawlat Filasṭīn ) by the United Nations and other entities, is a de jure sovereign state in Western Asia claiming the West Bank (bordering Israel and Jordan ) and Gaza Strip (bordering Israel and Egypt ) with Jerusalem as the designated capital, although its administrative center is currently located in Ramallah . The entirety of territory claimed by the State of Palestine has been occupied since 1948, first by Egypt and Jordan and then by Israel after the Six-Day War in 1967. Palestine has a population of 5,051,953 as of February 2020, ranked 121st in the world. After World War II , in 1947, the UN adopted a Partition Plan for Mandatory Palestine recommending the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states and an internationalized Jerusalem . This partition plan was accepted by the Jews but rejected by the Arabs. The day after the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Israel , to be known as the State of Israel on 14 May 1948, neighboring Arab armies invaded the former British mandate and fought the Israeli forces. Later, the All-Palestine Government was established by the Arab League on 22 September 1948 to govern the Egyptian-controlled enclave in Gaza . It was soon recognized by all Arab League members except Transjordan . Though jurisdiction of the Government was declared to cover the whole of the former Mandatory Palestine, its effective jurisdiction was limited to the Gaza Strip . Israel later captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria in June 1967 during the Six-Day War . On 15 November 1988, Yasser Arafat , Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), in Algiers proclaimed the establishment of the State of Palestine . A year after the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, the Palestinian National Authority was formed to govern the areas A and B in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Gaza would later be ruled by Hamas in 2007, two years after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza . The State of Palestine is recognized by 138 UN members and since 2012 has a status of a non-member observer state in the United Nations . Palestine is a member of the Arab League , Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , G77 , and the International Olympic Committee and other international bodies. The World: A Third World Guide 1995–96 . The attitude of the Palestinians was expressed inter alia in 1988 and 2002. When the Palestine National Council proclaimed in November 1988 the establishment of a Palestinian State, it asserted that Jerusalem was its capital. In October 2002, the Palestinian Legislative Council adopted the Law on the Capital, which stipulates that Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian State, the main seat of its three branches of government. The State of Palestine is the sovereign of Jerusalem and of its holy places. Any statute or agreement that diminishes the rights of the Palestinian State in Jerusalem is invalid. This statute can be amended only with the consent of two-thirds of the members of the Legislative Council. The 2003 Basic Law also asserts that Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine. Reprinted from: Wolfrum, Rüdiger (ed.) (online 2008, print 2011). A senior PA official revealed the plans in an interview with Al-Quds newspaper. The change to 'state' status is important because it shows that 'the state of Palestine is occupied,' he said. Israel remains in charge of territories the world says should one day make up that state. The World Bank: Data . United Nations Development Programme . 10 December 2019 . The Protocol allows the Palestinian Authority to adopt multiple currencies. In the West Bank , the Israeli new sheqel and Jordanian dinar are widely accepted; while in the Gaza Strip , the Israeli new sheqel and Egyptian pound are widely accepted. Future government of Palestine" .

Country in West Asia For the geographical region, see Palestine (region) . Palestine , officially the State of Palestine , is a country in West Asia . Recognized by 147 of the UN's 193 member states , it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank , including East Jerusalem , and the Gaza Strip , collectively known as the occupied Palestinian territories. The territories share the vast majority of their borders with Israel, with the West Bank bordering Jordan to the east and the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt to the southwest. It has a total land area of 6,020 square kilometres (2,320 sq mi) while its population exceeds five million. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem , while Ramallah serves as its de facto administrative center. Gaza City was its largest city prior to evacuations in 2023 . Situated at a continental crossroad , the Palestine region was ruled by various empires and experienced various demographic changes from antiquity to the modern era. It was treading ground for the Nile and Mesopotamian armies and merchants from North Africa, China and India. The region has religious significance . The ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict dates back to the rise of the Zionist movement , supported by the United Kingdom during World War I . The war saw Britain occupying Palestine from the Ottoman Empire , where it set up Mandatory Palestine under the auspices of the League of Nations . Increased Jewish immigration led to intercommunal conflict between Jews and Palestinian Arabs , which escalated into a civil war in 1947 after a proposed partitioning by the United Nations was rejected by the Palestinians. The 1948 Palestine war saw the forcible displacement of a majority of the Arab population, and consequently the establishment of Israel; these events are referred to by Palestinians as the Nakba ('catastrophe'). In the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip , which had been held by Jordan and Egypt respectively. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) declared independence in 1988. In 1993, the PLO signed the Oslo Accords with Israel, creating limited PLO governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through the Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel withdrew from Gaza in its unilateral disengagement in 2005, but the territory is still considered to be under military occupation and has been blockaded by Israel. In 2007, internal divisions between political factions led to a takeover of Gaza by Hamas . Since then, the West Bank has been governed in part by the Fatah -led PA, while the Gaza Strip has remained under the control of Hamas . Israel has constructed large settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967, which currently house more than 670,000 Israeli settlers, which are illegal under international law . Attacks by Hamas-led armed groups in October 2023 in Israel were followed by the Gaza war , which has caused widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis throughout the Gaza Strip, including the displacement of nearly all of its population. According to a United Nations special committee , Amnesty International , and other experts and human rights organisations, Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian people during its ongoing invasion and bombing of the Gaza Strip . Some of the challenges to Palestine include ineffective government, Israeli occupation, a blockade, restrictions on movement , Israeli settlements and settler violence , as well as an overall poor security situation. The questions of Palestine's borders , legal and diplomatic status of Jerusalem, and the right of return of Palestinian refugees remain unsolved. Despite these challenges, the country maintains an emerging economy and sees frequent tourism . Arabic is the official language of the country. While the majority of Palestinians practice Islam , Christianity also has a presence . Palestine is also a member of several international organizations , including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation . Association of Religion Data Archives . 2020 . The Druze are an ethnoreligious group concentrated in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel with around one million adherents worldwide. The Druze follow a millenarian offshoot of Isma'ili Shi'ism. Followers emphasize Abrahamic monotheism but consider the religion as separate from Islam. Historically they faced much persecution and keep their religious beliefs secrets. Islamic schismatics include Kharijite and other orthodox sects; reform movements (Sanusi, Mahdiya), also heterodox sects (Ahmadiya, Druzes, Sabbateans) "Declaration of Independence (1988) (UN Doc)" . "Taking into consideration that the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in accordance with a decision by the Palestine National Council, is entrusted with the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine" Miskin, Maayana (5 December 2012). A senior PA official revealed the plans in an interview with Al-Quds newspaper. The change to 'state' status is important because it shows that 'the state of Palestine is occupied,' he said. Israel remains in charge of territories the world says should one day make up that state. According to Article 4 of the 1994 Paris Protocol , the State of Palestine has no official currency. The Protocol allows the Palestinian Authority to adopt multiple currencies. In the West Bank , the Israeli new sheqel and Jordanian dinar are widely accepted, while in the Gaza Strip the Israeli new sheqel and Egyptian pound are widely accepted. The World: A Third World Guide 1995–96 . "A genocide is unfolding before our eyes: History will not forgive our inaction, UN Special Committee warns General Assembly 4th Committee report" . Our report leaves no room for ambiguity. A genocide is unfolding before our eyes. Failing to act now—failing to put an end to this atrocity crime — will tear apart the very foundation of the international rule of law we have collectively built to protect peace, security, and the well-being of all. Our inaction today is setting a perilous precedent for tomorrow. Think about it. : CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ( link ) "Amnesty International concludes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza" . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). There are <ref group=lower-roman> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

Country in West Asia This article is about the country. Palestine , officially the State of Palestine , is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia . It encompasses the West Bank , including East Jerusalem , and the Gaza Strip , both of which are occupied by Israel . These territories are collectively known as the Palestinian territories , or occupied Palestinian territory . They share the vast majority of their borders with Israel , with the West Bank bordering Jordan to the east and the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt to the southwest. It has a total land area of 6,020 square kilometers (2,320 sq mi) while its population exceeds five million. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem , while Ramallah serves as its de facto administrative center. Gaza was its largest city prior to Israel's forced evacuations in 2023 , ordered by Israel following Hamas's October 7 attacks . Situated at a continental crossroad , the Palestine region was ruled by various empires and experienced various demographic changes from antiquity to the modern era. It was regularly visited by the Nile and Mesopotamian armies and merchants from North Africa, China and India. The region has religious significance . The ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict dates back to the rise of the Zionist movement , supported by the United Kingdom during World War I . The war saw Britain occupying Palestine from the Ottoman Empire , where it set up Mandatory Palestine under the auspices of the League of Nations . Increased Jewish immigration led to intercommunal conflict between Jews and Palestinian Arabs , which escalated into a civil war in 1947 after a proposed partitioning by the United Nations was rejected by the Palestinians and other Arab nations . The 1948 Palestine war saw the forcible displacement of a majority of the Arab population, and consequently the establishment of Israel; these events are referred to by Palestinians as the Nakba ('catastrophe'). In the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip , which had been held by Jordan and Egypt respectively. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) declared independence in 1988. In 1993, the PLO signed the Oslo Accords with Israel, creating limited PLO governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through the Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel withdrew from Gaza in its unilateral disengagement in 2005. In 2007, internal divisions between political factions led to a takeover of Gaza by Hamas . Since then, the West Bank has been governed in part by the Fatah -led PA, while the Gaza Strip has remained under the control of Hamas . The Gaza Strip has long been subject to Israeli military occupation and an illegal blockade . Israel has also constructed large settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967, which currently house more than 737,000 Israeli settlers, which are illegal under international law . Following the October 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign in Gaza that has killed over 72,000 Palestinians , caused mass population displacement , a humanitarian crisis , and a famine in the Gaza Strip; these acts have been recognised as constituting genocide against the Palestinian people by a growing scholarly consensus. Palestine is a permanent non-member observer state at the United Nations (UN) and is recognized as a sovereign state by 157 of the UN's 193 member states . The questions of Palestine's borders , legal and diplomatic status of Jerusalem, and the right of return of Palestinian refugees remain unsolved. Some of the other challenges to Palestine include restrictions on movement , ineffective government and Israeli settlements and settler violence , as well as an overall poor security situation. Despite these challenges, the country maintains an emerging economy and sees frequent tourism . Arabic is the official language of the country. While the majority of Palestinians practice Islam , Christianity also has a presence . Palestine is also a member of several international organizations , including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation , UNESCO , and a delegation of parliamentarians sit at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe . The Global Education Project . The international community has taken a critical view of both deportations and settlements as being contrary to international law. General Assembly resolutions have condemned the deportations since 1969, and have done so by overwhelming majorities in recent years. Likewise, they have consistently deplored the establishment of settlements, and have done so by overwhelming majorities throughout the period (since the end of 1976) of the rapid expansion in their numbers. The Security Council has also been critical of deportations and settlements; and other bodies have viewed them as an obstacle to peace, and illegal under international law... Although East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights have been brought directly under Israeli law, by acts that amount to annexation, both of these areas continue to be viewed by the international community as occupied, and their status as regards the applicability of international rules is in most respects identical to that of the West Bank and Gaza. Association of Religion Data Archives . 2020 . Islamic schismatics include Kharijite and other orthodox sects; reform movements (Sanusi, Mahdiya), also heterodox sects (Ahmadiya, Druzes, Sabbateans) "Declaration of Independence (1988) (UN Doc)" . "Taking into consideration that the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in accordance with a decision by the Palestine National Council, is entrusted with the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine" Miskin, Maayana (5 December 2012). A senior PA official revealed the plans in an interview with Al-Quds newspaper. The change to 'state' status is important because it shows that 'the state of Palestine is occupied,' he said. Israel remains in charge of territories the world says should one day make up that state. According to Article 4 of the 1994 Paris Protocol , the State of Palestine has no official currency. The Protocol allows the Palestinian Authority to adopt multiple currencies. In the West Bank , the Israeli new sheqel and Jordanian dinar are widely accepted, while in the Gaza Strip , the Israeli new sheqel and Egyptian pound are widely accepted. The World: A Third World Guide 1995–96 . This limited status is largely due to the fact that the United States, a permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto power, has consistently blocked Palestine's full UN membership "State of Palestine" . Council of Europe Contribution to the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ). There are <ref group=lower-roman> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).