The Palestinian People's Right to Armed Resistance from the Perspective of International Law

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor, Department of International Law, Faculty of Law, Qom University, Qom, Iran

Abstract

The occupation of the Palestinian Territory for over seven decades encompasses historical, political, and legal dimensions, intertwined with issues of peace and security. At its core, this conflict arises from the denial of a nation's right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state. This article not only recounts pertinent events but also analyzes the central issue of self-determination. By affirming this right, the article explores the right to resist and combat the occupying forces, examining the interplay between self-determination and the right to resistance. Additionally, it addresses the obligations of other states concerning the occupied nation and the occupying power, adhering closely to international legal standards and citing relevant sources. The recent tragic events and the dire circumstances faced by the people of Gaza, including the loss of nearly 40,000 innocent lives, underscore the significance of this research. It is evident that violations of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination are the primary causes of this prolonged crisis. The struggle and resistance of the Palestinian people, including armed resistance, are framed as the only viable solution. Both self-determination and the right to resist, including armed struggle, possess international legal legitimacy. Other states are obligated to support the Palestinian people and must refrain from legitimizing the occupation or facilitating its continuation. The support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the Palestinian cause can be understood within this context of international law.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Berdal A, 'Oslo ‘Peace Process’ as a Rebuttal of Palestinian Self-Determination' (2018) 10 (1) Middle Eastern Studies 8-26
Brownlie I, Principles of Public International Law (9th edn, Oxford University Press 2021)
Cassese A, International Law (2nd edn, Oxford University Press 2005)
Cassese A, Le Droit International dans un Monde Divisé (1986, translated by Morteza Calantarian, International Legal Services Office of IRI 1992) p 127 (in Persian
Habibzadeh T, 'The Resistance of the Palestinian People to the Right to Self-Determination and Obligations of the International Community Against It' (2015) Public Law Studies Quarterly 64(6) [In Persian]
Ihab S, 'Human Rights in Palestine: From Self-Determination to Governance' (2023) 29 Australian Journal of Human Rights
Joni A, 'Israeli Territorial Annexation in Occupied Palestinian Territory: The Ambivalence of International Law' (2022) 37(3) Yuridika
Quigley J, The Case for Palestine: An International Law Perspective (Duke University Press 2005)
Shaw M, International Law (6th edn, Cambridge University Press 2008)
Gasser HP, 'Protection of the Civilian Population' in D Fleck (ed), The Handbook of Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflicts (2008) 335-336 (translated by Hajar Siyahrostami)
Hannikainen K, Peremptory Norms (Jus Cogens) in International Law: Historical Development (1988)
Hennikainen JM and Alvermann C, Customary International Humanitarian Law (Vol. 1, Cambridge University Press 2005)
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v Israel) [2023] available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192app-01-00-en.pdf#page=72
Case Concerning East Timor (Portugal v Australia) [1995] available at: https://icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/84/084-19950630-JUD-01-00-EN.pdf
Legal Consequences Arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/186/186-20240719-pre-01-00-en.pdf
Legal Consequences for States of the Continued Presence of South Africa in Namibia (South West Africa) notwithstanding Security Council Resolution 276 (1971) available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/53/11473.pdf
Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory [2004] available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/131/131-20040630-PRE-01-00-EN.pdf
Military and Paramilitary Activities in and against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v United States of America) [1986] available at: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/70/9973.pdf
UN Security Council Res 2334 (2016)
UN Security Council Res 465 (1 March 1980)
UN Doc A/CN.4/L.702 (18 July 2006) Imminent Famine in Northern Gaza is ‘Entirely Man-Made Disaster’ available at: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147656
UNGA Res 2625 (XXV) (1970) Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations available at: https://treaties.un.org/doc/source/docs/A_RES_2625-Eng.pdf
UNGA Res 2649 (November 1970) Right to Self-Determination
UNGA Res 2708 (1970)
UNGA Res 2708 (XXV) (1970) Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
UNGA Res 2787 (1971)
UNGA Res 3103 (XXVIII) (1973) Basic Principles of the Legal Status of the Combatants Struggling Against Colonial and Alien Domination and Racist Régimes
UNGA Res 35/1227 (1980)