Saturday 27 August 2011

Too early for Palestinian Statehood: Law professor warn of risks to join the United Nations

A nine page "legal independent " document warning of the risks involved in the Palestinian initiative to join the United Nation, has been written by Guy Goodwin-Gill, a professor of public international law at Oxford University, and a member of the legal team that won the 2004 non-binding judgment in the International Court of Justice: that the route of the Israeli wall is illegal.


According to professor Goodwin-Gill, he have been asked for his opinion, by the Palestinian team responsible for preparing the United Nations initiative: "regarding certain issues related to the popular representation, the representation of the views of the Palestinian people" - which according to professor Goodwin-Gill: "may arise incidentally, to the current proposal to seek the recognition of the state of Palestine, and the observer status for the State in United Nations".

The Palestinian team, headed by Saeb Erekat, has been preparing an initiative to swap the PLO at the United Nations, replacing it with the State of Palestine as the representative of the Palestinian people.
 
Professor Goodwin-Gill explain his opinion as follow ( excerpts) :
"This opinion seeks only to identify problems potentially affecting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the manner by which that right can or may be exercised, due account being taken of the will of the people. The purpose is simply to flag the matters requiring attention, if a substantial proportion of the people (having a particular interest in, among others, the right of return) are not be to be accidentally disenfranchised."

“The interests of the Palestinian people are at risk of prejudice and fragmentation, unless steps are taken to ensure and maintain their representation through the Palestinian Liberation Organization, until such time as there is in place a State competent and fully able to assume these responsibilities towards the people at large. In my opinion, current moves to secure recognition of statehood do not appear to reflect fully the role of the Palestinian people as a principal party in the resolution of the situation in the Middle East.”
_______________________________________________
"Palestine is the heart of Arab countries" - PalestineFreeVoice
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

No comments: