Changes

The climate is mediterranean and temperate in most of the communities controlled by the state in the West Bank, some are desertic while in the claimed territory of Gaza it is coastal, as it is on the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The climate is mediterranean and temperate in most of the communities controlled by the state in the West Bank, some are desertic while in the claimed territory of Gaza it is coastal, as it is on the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

== History ==

==People==

The state was unilaterally declared on November 15, 1988 in [[Algiers]] at an extraordinary session in exile of the [[Palestine National Council]], the legislative arm of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]]. Legal justification for this act was based on [[United Nations General Assembly]] Resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947, which provided for the termination and partition of the [[British Mandate for Palestine]] into two states.<ref>[http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/0/7F0AF2BD897689B785256C330061D253 Resolution 181 (II). Future government of Palestine] - United Nations</ref> It was established in May 1994 after the [[Oslo Accords]].<ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/palestinian-authority-history-and-overview The Palestinian Authority: History & Overview]. ''Jewish Virtual Library''. Retrieved August 20, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Palestinian-Authority Palestinian Authority]. ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved August 20, 2018.</ref> In January 2013 president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] signed a presidential decree which officially changed the name of the Palestinian Authority to the "State of Palestine".<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-pa-changes-name-to-palestine-1.5288367 Palestinian Authority Officially Changes Name to 'State of Palestine']. ''Haaretz''. Retrieved August 21, 2018.</ref>

[[File:Ramallah woman.jpg|left|140px]]

The ethnic group of the territories controlled by the state is [[Arab]], with the Arabic language spoken widely and the main religions are Islam (- 93-97%) and Christianity.

At the time, the PLO did not have control over any part of "[[Palestine]]" (or any other territory), and therefore the "State of Palestine" failed to meet one of the main defining aspects of a real [[state]] - namely, occupying a territory. Today the state only controls parts of the [[West Bank]] not run by Israel since the [[Oslo Accords]] from the 90s. The Gaza Strip was taken over in a [[coup d'état]] by the terrorist organization [[Hamas]] in 2006 against the political organization [[Fatah]] which is the moderate wing of the Palestinian Politics and runs the National Authority Government.

[[File:Palestine Eretz Yisrael post stamp.jpg|thumb|Palestine Eretz Yisrael post stamp (languages used English, Hebrew, Arabic)]]

Currently 136 [[United Nations]] member states have formally recognized "Palestine" as a state (see also: [[List of States which recognize Palestine as an independent state.]]), stretching from Africa to Asia, Europe to Latin America.. Around 150 countries maintain diplomatic relations with the "Palestinians" in one form or another...

[[File:440px-19480516 PalestinePost Israel is born.jpg|thumb|16 May 1948 edition of Jewish paper: ''The Palestine Post'': "State of Israel is Born." It was later renamed: ''The Jerusalem Post'']]

Up to the 1948 establishment of the State of [[Israel]], all inhabitants of the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]], including [[Jews]], were called Palestinians.

 

A pro-Arab website expresses the "Palestinian" view concerning the border of "Palestine" by declaring they want a border which existed prior to the [[Six-Day War]]:

The value of a UN resolution recognizing an independent state for the Palestinian people, with its borders running exactly along the 1949 Armistice line, which was the border between Israel and the West Bank until June 4, 1967,  should not be undermined.<ref>[http://english.alarabiya.net/views/2011/04/27/146903.html Obama, Netanyahu and the 'Palestinian state'.]</ref>

 

The "State of Palestine" was recognized immediately by the [[Arab League]] and several other Islamic nations, at the expense of recognition of [[Israel]]. It maintains embassies in these countries (which are generally simply [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] delegations).

 

Pro-Israel advocates typically point out that Israel has repeatedly had to defend itself against attacks by neighboring Arab states and counter that reverting Israel's border to borders which existed before the Six-Day war would not allow Israel to have defensible borders.<ref>[http://www.defensibleborders.org/amidror.htm Defensible borders]</ref>

 

The Israeli government of Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] is openly opposed to the proposed "Palestinian" statehood and is threatening retaliatory action. US officials, notably Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] are also opposed.

 

In November 2012, "Palestine" was granted the status of a non-member observer state by the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. This move was applauded by the [[Holy See]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/vatican-palestine-accord-gives-backing-to-two-state-solution/|title=Vatican formally recognises ‘state of Palestine’|date=May 14, 2015|publisher=Catholic Herald}}</ref><ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/vatican-palestinian-state_n_2215307.html?&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009]</ref>

==Christian minority==

==Christian minority==

In October, 2011, "Palestine" was granted full membership at the U.N. cultural organization, [[UNESCO]], in a diplomatic victory won despite stiff resistance from the United States and Israel.<ref>[http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/15/182782.html More than 100 countries recognize Palestine as a state.]</ref>

In October, 2011, "Palestine" was granted full membership at the U.N. cultural organization, [[UNESCO]], in a diplomatic victory won despite stiff resistance from the United States and Israel.<ref>[http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/15/182782.html More than 100 countries recognize Palestine as a state.]</ref>

==People==

== History ==

{{Main article|Palestinian}}

The state was unilaterally declared on November 15, 1988 in [[Algiers]] at an extraordinary session in exile of the [[Palestine National Council]], the legislative arm of the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]]. Legal justification for this act was based on [[United Nations General Assembly]] Resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947, which provided for the termination and partition of the [[British Mandate for Palestine]] into two states.<ref>[http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/0/7F0AF2BD897689B785256C330061D253 Resolution 181 (II). Future government of Palestine] - United Nations</ref> It was established in May 1994 after the [[Oslo Accords]].<ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/palestinian-authority-history-and-overview The Palestinian Authority: History & Overview]. ''Jewish Virtual Library''. Retrieved August 20, 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/Palestinian-Authority Palestinian Authority]. ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved August 20, 2018.</ref> In January 2013 president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] signed a presidential decree which officially changed the name of the Palestinian Authority to the "State of Palestine".<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-pa-changes-name-to-palestine-1.5288367 Palestinian Authority Officially Changes Name to 'State of Palestine']. ''Haaretz''. Retrieved August 21, 2018.</ref>

[[File:Ramallah woman.jpg|left|140px]]

 

The ethnic group of the territories controlled by the state is [[Arab]], with the Arabic language spoken widely and the main religions are Islam (- 93-97%) and Christianity.

At the time, the PLO did not have control over any part of "[[Palestine]]" (or any other territory), and therefore the "State of Palestine" failed to meet one of the main defining aspects of a real [[state]] - namely, occupying a territory. Today the state only controls parts of the [[West Bank]] not run by Israel since the [[Oslo Accords]] from the 90s. The Gaza Strip was taken over in a [[coup d'état]] by the terrorist organization [[Hamas]] in 2006 against the political organization [[Fatah]] which is the moderate wing of the Palestinian Politics and runs the National Authority Government.

 

Currently 136 [[United Nations]] member states have formally recognized "Palestine" as a state (see also: [[List of States which recognize Palestine as an independent state.]]), stretching from Africa to Asia, Europe to Latin America.. Around 150 countries maintain diplomatic relations with the "Palestinians" in one form or another...

In October, 2011, "Palestine" was granted full membership at the U.N. cultural organization, [[UNESCO]], in a diplomatic victory won despite stiff resistance from the United States and Israel.<ref>[http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/15/182782.html More than 100 countries recognize Palestine as a state.]</ref>

 

A pro-Arab website expresses the "Palestinian" view concerning the border of "Palestine" by declaring they want a border which existed prior to the [[Six-Day War]]:

The value of a UN resolution recognizing an independent state for the Palestinian people, with its borders running exactly along the 1949 Armistice line, which was the border between Israel and the West Bank until June 4, 1967,  should not be undermined.<ref>[http://english.alarabiya.net/views/2011/04/27/146903.html Obama, Netanyahu and the 'Palestinian state'.]</ref>

 

The "State of Palestine" was recognized immediately by the [[Arab League]] and several other Islamic nations, at the expense of recognition of [[Israel]]. It maintains embassies in these countries (which are generally simply [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] delegations).

 

Pro-Israel advocates typically point out that Israel has repeatedly had to defend itself against attacks by neighboring Arab states and counter that reverting Israel's border to borders which existed before the Six-Day war would not allow Israel to have defensible borders.<ref>[http://www.defensibleborders.org/amidror.htm Defensible borders]</ref>

[[File:Palestine Eretz Yisrael post stamp.jpg|thumb|Palestine Eretz Yisrael post stamp (languages used English, Hebrew, Arabic)]]

The Israeli government of Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] is openly opposed to the proposed "Palestinian" statehood and is threatening retaliatory action. US officials, notably Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] are also opposed.

[[File:440px-19480516 PalestinePost Israel is born.jpg|thumb|16 May 1948 edition of Jewish paper: ''The Palestine Post'': "State of Israel is Born." It was later renamed: ''The Jerusalem Post'']]

In November 2012, "Palestine" was granted the status of a non-member observer state by the [[United Nations General Assembly]]. This move was applauded by the [[Holy See]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/vatican-palestine-accord-gives-backing-to-two-state-solution/|title=Vatican formally recognises ‘state of Palestine’|date=May 14, 2015|publisher=Catholic Herald}}</ref><ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/vatican-palestinian-state_n_2215307.html?&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009]</ref>

Up to the 1948 establishment of the State of [[Israel]], all inhabitants of the [[Mandatory Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]], including [[Jews]], were called Palestinians.

==Criticism==

==Criticism==