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January 27, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: Gao and Timbuktu Retaken (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of our Mali conflict map – for the original story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of fighting and territorial control in Mali during the January 2013 French intervention against the Islamist forces of Ansar Dine and MUJAO. Reflects the Jan. 26-27 recapture of major northern cities Gao and Timbuktu by French and Malian forces.

Updated map of territorial control and fighting in Mali, as of Jan. 27, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

French-Malian troops capture two major northern cities
Events have proceeded quickly in Mali’s ongoing war since the France’s military intervention against radical Islamist rebels began just over two weeks ago. This weekend, French and Malian troops recaptured Gao and Timbuktu, two of the three major towns seized by separatist rebels last spring and taken over by radical right-wing militias a few months later.

After taking back most of the country’s central region earlier this week (See: Mali Map Update 2: Douentza Secured by Government), the allied French-Malian forces proceeded northeast from Diabaly and Douentza. On Friday, they took the town of Hombori on the road to Gao, even as Al Qaeda linked MUJAO rebels destroyed a bridge near the border with Niger in order to obstruct a looming invasion by Nigerien and Chadian troops.

Country Name:
• Mali (English, French, Bambara)
Official Name:
• Republic of Mali (English)
• République du Mali (French)
• Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara)
Capital: Bamako

On Saturday, the French and Malian armies seized Gao itself, where they seem to have encountered a limited amount of resistance from the rebels of MUJAO. Many of the militants had already fled the major cities after weeks of French airstrikes against their positions, and on Sunday the allied troops swept quickly through Léré and all the way to Timbuktu, where they are reportedly now establishing control.

Also in the past week, a major faction of the rebel group Ansar Dine defected, forming a new organization called the Islamic Movement for the Azawad. The new faction, dominated by Malian Tuareg people, claims to renounce Islamic extremism, instead saying they want to negotiate peacefully for increased autonomy in the country’s north.

Meanwhile, the French and Malian armies are receiving increasing support from other countries. The U.S., though not directly involved in the conflict, has been providing logistical support to the French military. And several days ago, troops from the neighboring country of Burkina Faso became the first foreign African forces to be deployed alongside the Malian and French contingents (though they still aren’t on the front lines).

On a darker note, accusations have spread of ethnically-motivated murders of Tuareg and Arab civilians by the Malian military (the northern rebels are mostly Tuareg and Arab people). This comes amid the mysterious barring of foreign journalists from towns occupied by the Malian and French forces. Officials have denied any knowledge of such killings, but human rights organizations have been increasingly raising alarms over the alleged abuse.

Original Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

Recommended Reading: In Mali, Diabaly residents helped repel Islamist militants

Graphic of Malian flag is in the public domain (source).

January 22, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: Douentza Secured by Government (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of last week’s Mali conflict map – for the full story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of territorial control and fighting in Mali, as of Jan. 22, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

Key Central Town under French-Malian control
The ongoing French-led war against right-wing Islamic insurgents in northern Mali has achieved another victory. Douentza, probably the most important of the central Malian towns formerly held by the rebels, has now been secured by government and French forces. The allied troops reportedly found that the rebels had already left ahead of them, presumably fleeing the French airstrikes that targeted the town over the last week.

Douentza’s status had been a matter of uncertainty for some time, starting with apparently false claims of its capture by the Malian army on the eve of the French intervention. It had been held by the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), the more extreme of the two main rebel groups controlling territory in northern Mali (and the more closely connected to Al Qaeda).

The capture of Diabaly town has also been fully confirmed now, after a few days of confusion. It had been reported that there was fighting on the ground between French and rebel forces, but residents of the town say it was mainly airstrikes that drove the militants out.

Meanwhile, forces from both France neighboring African countries have continued to arrive in Mali to fight the rebels. French troops in the country now number over 2,000, while African troops from Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Niger, and Chad currently total about 1,000. Chadian and Nigerien troops are also amassing in Niger near the Malian border, from where they may open up a new front by crossing the border to take Gao, the region’s largest city and currently the headquarters of MUJAO.

Original Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

Recommended Reading: Behind Mali’s conflict: myths, realities & unknowns (commentary from an expert in Mali)

January 18, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: Hardline Rebels Lose Two Towns (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

This is an update of yesterday’s Mali conflict map – for the full story, see Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention.

Updated map of territorial control and fighting in Mali, as of Jan. 18, 2013. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

Rebels Lose 2 Towns to French-Malian Forces

The French intervention in Mali has finally resulted in territorial gains for the government, after the two central towns of Konna and Diabaly were reportedly retaken by French and Malian troops today. Mali had incorrectly claimed the recapture of Konna earlier this week, and Diabaly was actually seized by the Islamic extremist rebels after French forces arrived. Local sources have now confirmed both towns to be under government control.

Also today, troops from a Nigerian-led West African force finally began arriving in the country (though they have not yet joined in the combat). Meanwhile, a hostage crisis continued into its third day in neighboring Algeria, where militants closely linked to Al Qaeda have taken over a natural gas field and captured its crew of international workers. By some accounts the militants have demanded an end to the French intervention in Mali, though the location of the gas field is far from Mali’s borders, and they are believed to have attacked from within Algeria.

Full Story: Mali Map: Islamist Control & French Intervention

January 17, 2013

Mali Conflict Map: France Begins Intervention Against Religious Hardline Rebels (January 2013)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Mali maps.

Islamic extremist militants have ruled Mali’s vast northern region almost unopposed for half a year, after driving out the secular Tuareg-majority separatists who briefly declared an independent country there last spring. But everything changed last weekend, with a new rebel offensive and surprise French military intervention that have kicked the war back into full gear. Read on for a summary of events.

Map of fighting and territorial control in Mali during the January 2013 French intervention against the Islamist forces of Ansar Dine and MUJAO

Current territorial control and fighting in Mali (including French intervention). Map by Evan Centanni, modified from Wikimedia map by Orionist, using images by Carport and NordNordWest (source). License: CC BY-SA.

Map Updates: Check our Mali channel for frequent updates to this map.

Northern Mali in Rebel Hands
The rebellion in northern Mali began as a separatist struggle led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), a secular group of mostly Tuareg ethnicity who last spring successfully seized Mali’s north and declared independence as the State of Azawad. But their victory was soon hijacked by Ansar Dine, a hard-line Islamist militia (also led by Tuaregs) that had fought alongside them previously. Ansar Dine was then joined by MUJAO, an Al Qaeda offshoot group, who swiftly expelled the MNLA from the region. (See: Independent Azawad No More: Northern Mali in Islamist Hands)

The closely allied Ansar Dine and MUJAO remained comfortably in control of northern Mali for the next half year. Citizens accused of immorality were brutally punished under an extreme interpretation of Islamic law, and ancient historical sites were destroyed for allegedly being un-Islamic. Meanwhile, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the global terror organization’s Northwest African branch, was allowed to operate freely in the region. The U.N. Security Council eventually authorized a military intervention to be led by neighboring countries, but it was not expected to begin until next September at the earliest.

Further Reading: Making Sense of Mali’s Armed Groups (guide to militias from both sides)

Country Name:
• Mali (English, French, Bambara)
Official Name:
• Republic of Mali (English)
• République du Mali (French)
• Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara)
Capital: Bamako

War Breaks Out
Everything changed last week, when Ansar Dine and MUJAO began an allied push to extend their territory southward towards Mali’s capital. On Thursday, the Malian army claimed (incorrectly) to have captured the important town of Douentza from the rebels, but in fact it was soon the Islamists who had taken new territory, the small central town of Konna.

Panic ensued as it appeared Sévaré, which hosts a critical military airport, and Mopti, a regional capital for central Mali, would be next. But the next day, the tables suddenly turned with the surprise arrival of hundreds of French troops (responding to a request from Mali’s president). At the same time, news hit that supporting forces from neighboring West African countries would be arriving within days.

Over the following night, French and Malian forces claimed to have taken Konna back from the rebels, amid a series of airstrikes against Islamist positions. However, by Monday the extremists had captured Diabaly, the nearest town yet to Mali’s capital and major population centers (though perhaps not as significant as it appears); and by Tuesday, the French government was denying that its forces had even recaptured Konna.

The situation in Mali is continuing to change by the hour (Diabaly is now reportedly surrounded by French and Malian troops, and there are unverified claims that Konna has finally been recaptured). Political Geography Now will be releasing frequent updates to the map as the conflict plays out. Stay tuned!

(To see only posts related to this conflict, you can filter the site for all Mali articles).

Note on Names:
• The acronym “MNLA” is based on the French name, and is sometimes rendered “NMLA” to match the English.
• “MUJAO” is also a French-based acronym. The English acronym is “MUJWA” (or sometimes “MOJWA”).
• Ansar Dine is pronounced “an-SAR (uhd)-DEEN” and sometimes spelled “Ansar Eddine” or “Ansar ud-Dine”.
• AQIM is also known by its French acronym “AQMI”; its Arabic actually means “Al Qaeda in the Islamic West”.

Graphic of Malian flag is in the public domain (source).

January 10, 2013

Central African Republic: Map of Rebel Control (January 2013)

Last month, rebels in the Central African Republic launched a sudden military campaign against the government, rapidly taking over city after city in their advance towards the capital. Fighting has now come to a temporary halt, with much of the country under rebel control. Read on for a summary of the conflict so far.

Map of 2012-2013 rebellion in the Central African Republic, showing current rebel control as of January 11, 2013

Advance of Séléka rebels in the Central African Republic during December 2012 and January 2013. Map fact-checked and modified by Evan Centanni from this map by Wikimedia user Keitsist. License: CC BY-SA

Updated Map: Central African Republic – Map of Rebel Control (March 2013)

Rebellion in the Central African Republic
In 2007, a three-year civil war came to an end in the Central African Republic (CAR) when the government reached a peace agreement with several rebel groups. Yet six years later, some of the rebels feel that the government has still not honored its side of that agreement, and last month violence broke out once again.

The new fighting was initiated by a coalition of rebel groups calling itself “Séléka”, which means “alliance” in Sango, the national language of the CAR. The rebels have threatened to depose President François Bozizé, who took power in a 2003 coup but has since won two controversial elections.

More Background: BBC News Q&A – Central African Republic’s rebellion

Rebel Advance from the North
The rebel campaign began on December 10, when they took over N’Délé, a regional capital in the country’s north, which had been under the control of a government-allied former rebel group. At the same time, the new rebel coalition captured two other northern towns, Ouadda and Sam Ouandja. A week later, they stormed into Bria, a diamond-mining town and regional capital in the country’s east. By this time, their forces in N’Délé had also advanced south to capture the town of Bamingui.

Country Name:
• Central African Republic (English)
• Centrafrique (French)
• Bêafrîka (Sango)
Official Name:
• Central African Republic (English)
• République centrafricaine (French)
•Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka (Sango)
Capital: Bangui

Despite the Central African government receiving reinforcements from its ally and neighbor Chad, the Séléka rebels continued on the road to Bangui, taking the towns of Kabo and Batangafo in the next two days after the Bria attack (despite some sources indicating towns being retaken, government forces no longer seem to be in control of these places; however, rebel forces may not maintain a strong presence either).

In the following days, Séléka’s forces moved west from Bria, seizing the town of Ippy on the way to Bambari. The latter city, among the country’s largest, fell to the rebels on December 23. Central African government forces subsequently attempted to retake Bambari, but were held them back. Two days later, Séléka forces in the north captured another regional capital, Kaga-Bandoro, after only brief resistance.

The seizure of Bambari and Kaga-Bandoro paved the way for Séléka to advance on Sibut, the last regional capital on the road to Bangui. It was soon reported that the rebels had bypassed Sibut to avoid Chadian forces stationed there, and had instead proceeded to the next major town, Damara. However, a few days later rebel forces seized Sibut, and it became apparent that Damara was in fact still government-held, with Central African and Chadian troops having pulled back to there from Sibut.

Standoff and Ceasefire in the South
The rebels are now using Sibut as their forward base, while forces from neighboring countries are amassing in Damara as a firewall against any invasion of the national capital, Bangui. A contingent has also arrived from more distant South Africa. Aside from the rebel capture of Alindao (and possibly one other small town) near Bambari, fighting has come to a standstill since the end of December.

A temporary ceasefire was finally reached on Thursday between the Central African Republic government and Séléka, with word of a possible unity government in the near future if talks proceed smoothly. Political Geography Now will be watching the situation closely, and reporting promptly on any new territorial developments.

Graphic of the flag of the Central African Republic is in the public domain (source).

December 28, 2012

Syria Uprising Map: December 2012 (#8)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Syria updates.

In recent months, Syria’s rebels have continued to tip the balance of the country’s civil war toward their favor, with various local victories and a few further extensions of their territorial control. Below is the updated conflict map, plus a summary of recent territorial changes.

Map of rebel activity and control in Syria's Civil War (Free Syrian Army, Kurdish groups, and others), updated for December 2012. Includes recent locations of conflict, including Salqin, Harem, Beer Ajam, Tishrin Dam, and Ras al-Ayn.

Activity and cities held by rebels and other groups in Syria, updated for December 2012. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this blank map by German Wikipedia user NordNordWest. License: CC BY-SA

Rebels Consolidate Control in Northwest
Soon after our last update, the rebels of the Free Syrian Army announced the capture of Salqin in the northwestern province of Idlib. This was the first step in a push to close the Syrian government’s last pocket of control along the Turkish border in Idlib – a goal reached just this Tuesday when the rebels finally stormed the loyalist border town of Harem. This leaves Idlib city and the town of Jisr al-Shughur as the Syrian army’s last major strongholds in the northern part of the province.

Flag of Syria under the current government

Country Name:
• Syria (English)
• Sūriyya/Sūryā (Arabic)
Official Name:
• Syrian Arab Republic (English)
• al-Jumhūriyyah al-‘Arabīyah as-Sūriyyah (Arabic)
Capital: Damascus

Eastward Expansion and Rebels vs. Kurdish Militias
Meanwhile, rebel groups have extended their control further into Al-Raqqah and Al-Hasakah provinces in Syria’s northeast. On November 8th, they reached the Kurd-dominated town of Serekani (known in Arabic as Ras al-Ayn), where they pushed out what government soldiers still remained after a Kurdish takeover earlier this year.

However, this victory was followed by several weeks of clashes between the rebels and local Kurdish militias. Much of the fighting was initiated by Islamic extremist factions among the rebels, though relations are already tense enough between Kurdish groups and the Arab-dominated Free Syrian Army.

Kurdish militia units took the events in Serekani as a cue to finish ridding other Kurdish towns of government troops, some of whom had previously been allowed to remain inside their bases despite no longer controlling the towns. These efforts also resulted in one new town, Tal Tamir, falling into Kurdish hands.

Also in the country’s northeast, rebel forces overran Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River in late November. This hydro-electric dam is an important source of energy for northern Syria, and also serves as a key crossing on the main road from Aleppo to Al-Raqqah.

Renewed Fighting in Damascus and the Golan Heights
Although the Syrian capital itself remains mostly under government control, rebel activity in the surrounding suburbs has redoubled in recent months, with neighborhoods outside the city limits believed to form a patchwork of government, rebel, and undetermined control. Douma, the next largest city in Damascus’s metropolitan area, is again a rebel stronghold.

Farther to the southwest, fighting has broken out in the Golan Heights region. Most of this disputed territory has been controlled by Israel since 1967, but a thin strip on the Syrian side is patrolled as a demilitarized zone by U.N. peacekeeping forces. However, last month Syrian rebels began establishing themselves in the zone, capturing local villages such as Beer Ajam. Government forces ignored the strip’s demilitarized status and entered with tanks to combat the rebels, leading to exchanges of fire with the Israeli military after Syrian shells flew over the international border.

Graphic of Syrian flag is in the public domain (source).

December 20, 2012

Kosovo Now Recogized by Half of U.N. (97/193)

Map of countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, updated for December 2012 with most recent additions highlighted

Countries recognizing the Republic of Kosovo in green, with the five most recent additions to the list labelled. Kosovo in magenta. Map by Evan Centanni, modified from public domain graphic (source).

Country Name:
• Kosovo (English, Serbian)
• Kosova (Albanian)
Official Name:
• Republic of Kosovo (English)
• Republika e Kosovës (Albanian)
• Republika Kosovo (Serbian)
Capital: Pristina/Prishtina

Kosovo Recognition Update
Since our last report on recognition of the Republic of Kosovo, five more U.N. members have endorsed independence for the disputed country in southeastern Europe. This brings the list of member countries recognizing Kosovo to 97, or just over 50% of the U.N. (there are currently 193 sovereign states in the U.N.).

One country, the Southeast Asian island state of East Timor, actually recognized Kosovo back in September, before our last report. However, we didn’t know that at the time, so it didn’t make it into that update.

The other four U.N. member countries which have granted recognition to Kosovo since last time are Burundi in West Africa, Fiji in the South Pacific, and two small Caribbean island states, Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis. A full list of countries recognizing Kosovo, including references and dates of recognition, is available on Wikipedia.

The Republic of Kosovo seceded from Serbia in 2008, but has been blocked from U.N. membership by objections from Serbia, Russia, and other countries which see its secession as invalid. In addition to the 97 U.N. members who individually recognize Kosovo, its independence is also acknowledged by one non-U.N. member, Taiwan. For more on Kosovo’s special situation, see our first Kosovo recognition report from earlier this year.

Stay Up to Date: Check for further updates to this story by viewing all Kosovo articles on Political Geography Now.

Flag graphic by Cradel (source). License: CC BY-SA

December 13, 2012

Somalia: Al Shabaab Map Update (Dec. 2012)

There are newer versions of this map available. To see them, view all Somalia articles on PolGeoNow.

Al Shabaab, Somalia’s local branch of Al Qaeda, has continued to gradually lose territory since government-allied forces captured its main stronghold two months ago. As a follow-up to our October feature on the two-year retreat of Al Shabaab, we now present the latest changes to the map of control in southern Somalia.

Map of Al Shabaab control in southern Somalia as of December 2012, highlighting recent advances by government and African Union troops since the capture of key port city Kismayo. Includes the December capture of Jowhar by Ugandan AU forces.

Southern Somalia: recent government-allied advances against Al Shabaab. Original map by Evan Centanni. Incorporates elements from this blank map by Eric Gaba and this locator map by TheEmirr. (license: CC BY-SA).

Slow Progress Against Al Shabaab
Somalia’s Islamic extremist militia, Al Shabaab, was greatly weakened when its biggest port and de facto capital of Kismayo was taken by government-allied African Union (AU) forces in October (See: The Retreat of Al Shabaab). However, it still controls a significant amount of territory, and the Somali and AU forces’ advance has been slow, with their first major territorial gain acheived only this past weekend.

Although our previous map suggested that Burhakaba east of Baidoa was under government-allied control at that time, it became clear soon after publication that the city was in fact still under the control of Al Shabaab. Most of the Somali/AU offensives over the last two months have centered on the goal of opening up the road from Mogadishu to Baidoa – an effort that has currently stalled about halfway between Wanlaweyne and Burhakaba.

Country Name:
• Somalia (English)
• Soomaaliya (Somali)
• aṣ-Ṣūmāl (Arabic)
Official Name:
• Federal Republic of Somalia (English)
• Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya (Somali)
• Jumhūriyyat aṣ-Ṣūmāl al-Fideraaliya (Arabic)
Capital: Mogadishu

Kenyan-led AU and Somali troops also began an advance towards Jilib in the southwest (presumably along the road from Afmadow, since Jamaame hasn’t been reported captured), but have apparently not yet reached that objective either. The first major town to be taken from Al Shabaab since October is Jowhar, north of Mogadishu, which fell to Ugandan-led AU and Somali forces on Sunday.

Shifting Power Structures
In other developments, the pro-government ASWJ militia, which was among the first to make gains against Al Shabaab nearly two years ago, has formally agreed to join the Somali federal government and integrate into the national army. This means that the areas north of Al Shabaab’s territory, which have long been controlled autonomously by the ASWJ, will now theoretically fall under the jurisdiction of the national government.

In practice, much of this area is still patrolled by government-allied troops from Ethiopia, who invaded last year to push Al Shabaab back from their border, though the major cities of Baidoa and Beledweyne have since been handed over to AU peacekeepers. For a who’s-who of the many players in Somalia’s civil war, see our previous Somalia feature.

Graphic of Somali flag is in the public domain (source).

December 6, 2012

Is Palestine Really a Country?

(Keep up with changes to Palestine’s situation: view all Palestine updates.)

Palestine is now recognized as a country by both the U.N. and a majority of its members, but many have questioned whether this new-found status reflects the truth on the ground. Is Palestine really an independent country, or is this a political fantasy concocted by supporters in the U.N.?

The Olso Accords divided the Palestinian territories into three areas of control (see article for explanation). Map by Evan Centanni. Sources: Natural Earth, B’Tselem, U.N. OCHA oPt.

What is a “sovereign state”?
By the most common definition, a “state” has to have:

A government
A defined territory
A permanent population
The ability to conduct foreign relations with other states

This definition is called the “declarative theory of statehood“, and was formalized in the Montevideo Convention of 1933. To be a “sovereign” state (i.e. an independent country), it’s also important that the government answers to no other country, and that the territory and population are actually under the government’s control.

A prospective country that fits these criteria is described by geographers as a de facto sovereign state, even if it’s not recognized by the international community (de facto is Latin for “in actual fact”).

Palestine: Sovereign State or Not?
Can Palestine be considered a real, de facto sovereign state based on the declarative theory of statehood? Let’s look at the criteria one by one:

A government that answers to no one
Palestine is represented abroad by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), and governed within its administrative area by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), an elected government established by the PLO under the Oslo Accords. Though it faces frequent pressure and demands from Israel, the Palestinian government does not take orders from any country.

Defined territory under its control
The State of Palestine claims two territories: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The U.N. considers both of these regions to be occupied by Israel, but the Palestinians do control some parts of them since 1995. The Oslo II Accord temporarily designated three types of control within the West Bank (see map above):

Area A – Fully governed by the Palestinians, with no Israeli administration or Israeli military presence (currently 18%)
Area B – Shared control; Palestinian civil administration with joint Israeli-Palestinian military control (currently 21%)
Area C – Full Israeli control, with some exceptions for Palestinian residents (currently 61%)

Country Name:
• Palestine (English)
• Filasṭīn (Arabic)
Official Name:
• State of Palestine (English)
• Dawlat Filasṭin (Arabic)
Capital:
• Jerusalem (claimed)
• Ramallah (administrative)

The Gaza Strip is a special case: Israel withdrew from the territory in 2005, leaving it effectively part of Area A. However, a brief Palestinian civil war in 2007 left Gaza in the hands of extremist group Hamas, which currently doesn’t answer to the PLO (though it did support the campaign for U.N. observer state status). [Update: As of June 2014, Gaza and the West Bank are nominally united under a Palestinian unity government.]

Besides area C, Israel also controls all of the airspace and territorial waters associated with the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Additionally, it has completely annexed (integrated as part of the country) two sections of Area C itself: East Jerusalem, which both sides claim for their capital, and a strip of “no man’s land” which was located between Israel and the West Bank when the latter was still controlled by Jordan.

In other words, Israel controls most of Palestine’s claimed territory, but not all of it. Since many countries don’t control all of their claimed land and waters, that alone doesn’t disqualify Palestine as a state.

A permanent population
There are almost four million Palestinians living within the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, so this requirement is no problem. Even if we only count the West Bank’s Area A, the Palestinian Authority has full control over close to one million people. By comparison, there about 40 U.N. member states with populations of less than one million.

Ability to conduct foreign relations
This requirement is also clearly fulfilled. Not only is Palestine seated as an observer state in the U.N. General Assembly, but its representatives also maintain direct diplomatic relations with 142 countries (even more than the number who recognize its independence), plus the European Union. It’s also a member or observer in various international organizations.

So what’s the answer?
Palestine has its own government (the PLO/PNA), a defined and controlled territory (Area A in the West Bank), a permanent population (one to four million Palestinians), and the ability to maintain relations with other states. So whatever we think about what should happen in the future, Palestine does seem to qualify as a de facto sovereign state at the present.

November 30, 2012

Palestine Recognized as a Country by the U.N.

(Keep up with changes to Palestine’s situation: view all Palestine updates.)

This Thursday, the U.N. General Assembly voted to change Palestine’s status in the organization from “observer” to “observer state”. This is the first time the international body has recognized Palestine as a state, giving it the same status enjoyed by U.N. non-member Vatican City.

Map of Israel with the occupied territories of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights highlighted

The State of Palestine claims the West Bank and Gaza, which are largely occupied by Israel. The Golan Heights are not part of the Palestinian Territories. Public domain map (source).

Until this Thursday, Palestine was a partially recognized country, acknowledged by some U.N. member nations, but not by the U.N. itself (See also: How many countries are there in the world?). Although its delegation has had observer status at the U.N. since 1974, it was never classified as a “state”, being treated as something between a country and a non-government organization. Now, the organization has officially voted to change Palestine’s status to “observer state” – effectively a recognition that it’s an independent country, even though it’s still not a U.N. member.

The Palestinian delegation campaigned to join the U.N. as a member last year, but had to give up after the U.S. promised to veto the application in the U.N. Security Council. Observer status, on the other hand, is determined by a majority vote in the U.N. General Assembly, which no single country can veto. That vote happened on November 29th, with members voting 138 to 9 in favor of granting Palestine observer state status (41 members abstained, and 5 were absent from the vote; see the full breakdown of national votes).

The only other U.N. observer state is the Holy See, which represents Vatican City. Many other countries have been observer states in the past, but all of them have since been accepted into the U.N. as full members (the last to join were Switzerland in 2002 and North and South Korea in 1991). While yesterday’s events may help settle Palestine’s legal status, the situation on the ground is more complicated, with most of the country’s claimed territory under the control of Israel. The recognized Palestinian government also does not currently administer the Gaza Strip, one of the Palestinian Territories, which is instead controlled by right-wing opposition party Hamas. But despite their differences, the leadership of Hamas supported the campaign for statehood at the U.N.

Document: Full text of U.N. General Assembly resolution authorizing state observer status for Palestine

Color-coded map showing how each U.N. member voted on the General Assembly resolution recognizing Palestine as an observer state

Results of U.N. General Assembly vote on granting observer state status to Palestine. Green: In favor; Red: Against; Yellow: Abstaining; Blue: Absent; Black: Palestine. Map by B1mbo/Wikimedia (source). License: CC BY-SA

What will change with Palestine’s new status?
Since the change is to Palestine’s political status, the effects will be mostly in the domain of politics. Its actual role within the U.N. General Assembly will change little, because observers’ privileges are mostly assigned on a case-by-case basis anyway. But now other U.N. agencies are more likely to consider Palestine for membership. It already successfully joined UNESCO last year, but was rejected from the U.N.-connected International Criminal Court (ICC) on the basis that members need to be states. Possible Palestinian membership in the ICC has received a lot of political attention, because it would allow Palestine to pursue war crimes charges against the Israeli government.

The current Israeli administration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu, supported by the U.S., insists that the statehood bid violated the terms of the Oslo Accords by bypassing the existing peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. And in the weeks leading up to the vote, Netanyahu had threatened to punish the PLO for seeking statehood, possibly by withholding money from taxes that Israel collects on the Palestinian government’s behalf. But his government seemed to back down as the campaign came to an end, downplaying the results of the vote and saying they wouldn’t retaliate unless Palestine tries to take them to court in the ICC. Some Israelis, such as the previous prime minister, Ehud Olmert, actually supported the statehood bid.

Another area to watch will be Palestine’s treatment by geographers: since the most common definition of “independent country” in maps and other publications is “member or observer state of the U.N.”, Palestine may begin showing up on more maps and lists of countries from now on. Although it’s already shown on many maps, it’s usually indicated as special-case disputed territory rather than a country. Alternatively, if Palestine’s nationhood proves too controversial, we could possibly see some change in how independent countries are defined in maps and books. In the U.S., some may choose to follow the lead of the American government, which currently recognizes all U.N. members and observers except Palestine.

Further Reading: Q&A – Palestinian bid for upgraded UN status (BBC), Why Palestine Won Big at the U.N. (TIME)