Summary
The State whose establishment the Palestinian National Council proclaimed on 15 November 1988 at Algiers in its Declaration of Independence, “in the land of Palestine with its capital at Jerusalem”, recognized within a month by almost 80 States, and acknowledged by the General Assembly in resolution 43/177, which decided the designation “Palestine” should be used in the United Nations system in place of “Palestine Liberation Organization” without prejudice to the PLO’s observer status (Origins and Evolution of the Palestine Problem: Part IV (1984-1988), lines 591-609, 651-655).
Details
- The Declaration held that, despite the historical injustice following resolution 181 (II) of 1947, that resolution “nevertheless continues to attach conditions to international legitimacy that guarantee the Palestinian Arab people the right to sovereignty and national independence” (lines 583-590; note 80/).
- The Declaration’s operative sentence is quoted: “The Palestine National Council hereby declares, in the name of God and on behalf of the Palestinian Arab people, the establishment of the State of Palestine in the land of Palestine with its capital at Jerusalem.” (lines 591-592; note 81/).
- The Declaration described the State as for Palestinians wherever they may be, under a democratic parliamentary system with equality and non-discrimination, an Arab State and integral part of the Arab nation, committed to the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and non-alignment, and a peace-loving State committed to peaceful coexistence (lines 593-605; note 82/).
- The PNC session also took a decision to set up a provisional government, and its Political Communiqué sought, among other arrangements, Security Council arrangements for security and peace among all concerned States in the region, including the Palestinian State (lines 559-582).
- The Secretary-General’s report of 28 November 1988 held the Algiers session had generated new momentum and fresh opportunities for progress towards peace (lines 607-609).
- At Geneva on 13 December 1988 Yasir Arafat presented a Palestinian peace initiative for a comprehensive settlement including the State of Palestine, Israel and the other neighbouring States, on the basis of resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) (lines 631-637).
Related pages
Palestinian National Council, Palestine Liberation Organization, Yasir Arafat, Self-determination, First Intifada