II: For award-winning geographer, ancient Israel doesn't count and Palestine, well...

Part II: Let's see what award-winning geographer Matt Rosenberg wrote about 'Palestine'

In Part I of this two-part article, I critiqued his neglect to mention Israel as one of the oldest countries in the world. Remember, Matt Rosenberg is an expert on National Geographic’s education blog:

Matt is an award-winning professional geographer who has covered the field of geography … for more than a decade. He is a former adjunct university faculty member in geography, city planning and GIS intern for local government, newspaper columnist, and a disaster manager for the American Red Cross.

This gives him an aura of authority, a respected source, at a respected journal.

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The article I review here is called “Palestine is not a Country.” It was last updated on 3 Jul 2019. Well, the title is a good start, right? Sort-of. For one thing, the proper name of that political entity is the Palestinian Authority. And for another — showing my bias here — I hope it never will be a country, until the residents and leadership lay down their arms and agree to live alongside the sovereign Jewish State of Israel, however long that takes, if ever.

Let us see what he writes.

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“Palestine is not a Country”

Link here:

Of course it isn’t, even though it is called the State of Palestine by Wikipedia, UNICEF, and the International Criminal Court, and others.

Both Gaza and part of what Jordan called the West Bank when they occupied it between 1948 and 1967 was formed into a new political unit, the Palestinian Authority (PA), when the contract called the Oslo Accords was signed in 1993. Therefore, the PA it remains to this day.

Rosenberg lists eight criteria for designating a particular political entity as a country. He writes that failure on only one of these eight is sufficient to deny that entity classification as a country. According to him, the PA fails on one criterion, passes somewhat on five and clearly passes on two. My reading of his list shows that the PA fails totally in one and somewhat on four criteria; three are satisfied. But the one criterion on which we both agrees it totally fails is a dangerous one.

My comments are in italics.

1. Has space or territory that has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK).
Somewhat. Both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank have internationally recognized boundaries. However, these boundaries are not legally fixed.

To be generous, we’ll give him this one even as he says ‘somewhat.’ To be sure, they are not borders but armistice lines. There is a difference.

2. Has people who live there on an ongoing basis.
Yes, the Gaza Strip's population is 1,710,257 and the population of the West Bank is 2,622,544 (as of mid-2012).

OK. Clear yes.

3. Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money.
Somewhat. The economies of both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are disrupted by conflict, especially in Hamas-controlled Gaza only limited industry and economic activity is possible. Both regions have exports of agricultural products and the West Bank exports stone. Both entities utilize the new Israeli shekel as their currency.

Not quite. They do control their own domestic economic activity and there is a Bank of Palestine; and the PA does not issue money as Rosenberg writes. Furthermore, the International Trade Adminstration reported (on 6 Oct 2023) that all Gazan and ‘West Bank’ imports and exports are controlled by Israel. According to the ITA, two years after Rosenberg wrote his article, Israel passed legislation easing restrictions, but it does not seem that they controlled their foreign trade at all when he wrote it.

Rosenberg claims only limited industrial and economic activity and does not say why it is limited. After all, with all the input of foreign humanitarian funds, there should be plenty of money for industrial and economic development. Instead, Gaza showed a remarkable tunnel industry and weapons manufacturing/assembly workshops until their Oct 7th violation of the ceasefire with Israel led Israel to decimate those.

4. Has the power of social engineering, such as education.
Somewhat. The Palestinian Authority does have social engineering power in fields such as education and healthcare. Hamas in Gaza also provides social services.

Actually — yes! The PA does administer education, health, and welfare. I do not see why Rosenberg thinks this is only somewhat satisfied.

5. Has a transportation system for moving goods and people.
Yes; both entities have roads and other transportation systems.

Yes. They have domestic transportation systems, nothing international. Unless intended underground transportation of trucks into Israel for attack and abductions is considered a form of international transportation.

6. Has a government that provides public services and police or military power.
Somewhat. While the Palestinian Authority is permitted to provide local law enforcement, Palestine does not have its own military. Nonetheless, as can be seen in the latest conflict, Hamas in Gaza does have control of an extensive militia.

Yes, they have a police force. No, they do not have their own military (and, even if negotiations for peace ever come about, they never will).

As Rosenberg notes, the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza has a military branch; the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) also operates there. Hamas and the PIJ also operate in the ‘West Bank’ as do two other groups: The Lion’s Den and the Al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade. These are terrorist militia and not regular armies. These will not remain after the successful completion of the current war (I hope).

7. Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the country's territory.
Somewhat. The West Bank and Gaza Strip do not yet have full sovereignty and control over their own territory.

Agreed. They have autonomy over domestic administration but nothing else.

8. Has external recognition. A country has been "voted into the club" by other countries.
No. Despite the super-majority of United Nations members approving United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19 on November 29, 2012, giving Palestine non-member state observer status, Palestine is not yet eligible to join the United Nations as an independent country.

… If the UN resolution had allowed Palestine to join the United Nations as a full member state, it would have immediately been recognized as an independent country.

Were the PA to be recognized by the UN as a country, it would then be a country. Regardless of the status of the other criteria. This is the part that worries me.

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This was an interesting little exercise on Rosenberg’s part, I think. Nothing too ominous or erroneous here. However, his title, taken together with his neglect to include Israel as one of the oldest countries in the world leads me to believe he thinks there should be a country called Palestine. It is his right to believe that, as long as he sticks to facts and does not invent them. I am happy to see there is nothing here that can be used as fuel for the anti-Israel crowds demonstrating around the world for our demise.

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I would like to add here, as a postscript, a comment posted by a reader. John McDonagh (slightly abridged by me):

I'd like to address the "part that troubles you" that is, possible UN recognition of the PA entity as a state and the reason the UN hasn't done so, and hopefully, cannot do so: It has to do with the San Remo Declaration of 1920 whereby the so-called West Bank and the rest of Israel was lawfully restored to the Jewish people, and this legal title was internationally guaranteed and never revoked. Additionally, the Oslo Accords include clauses that would seem to accept Israel's legal title to the land (via San Remo) which Israel MAY give up only by negotiation between Israel and the PLO.

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