Palestinian sovereignty is independent of international recognition: UN special rapporteur

​​​​​​​By Zehra Nur Celik

The UN's special rapporteur on Palestine said Tuesday that international obligations must focus on self-determination, rather than interfering in internal Palestinian governance.

“Palestinian sovereignty exists regardless of recognition by other states,” Francesca Albanese wrote on X as she shared a special report by Anadolu, which included an interview with the former Greek Foreign Minister George Katrougalos.

“Promoting a two state solution (for 30years) without recognizing both states is disingenuous,” she said.

“States' international obligations are not about ‘reforming the PA (Palestinian Authority)’ or meddling in Palestinian elections and governance— those are internal matters— but about ensuring peoples' self-determination ending unlawful occupations, and dismantling (sic) apartheid,” she noted.

Albanese urged the world to “move beyond hypocrisy and commit to genuine peace premised upon justice and everyone's freedom.”

“Together, we can do it,” she added.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack last year by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 42,000 victims have since been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 97,300 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of Gaza amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.