Will the ICJ Objectively Assess the Statehood of Palestine? A Brief Reflection

Is Palestine a state? The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected to address this question in the Case concerning Relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem (Palestine v. United States of America) during the preliminary objections stage. In the meanwhile, scholars have discussed possible options that international law can offer to deal with the question of Palestine’s statehood. The suggestions include, for example, state recognition, the Vienna formula, etc. This article, however, envisages that in determining Palestine’s statehood the ICJ is likely to adopt an objective assessment test on the basis of international legal criteria of statehood.