Dr Anas Iqtait: Australia National University lecturer on what recognising a Palestinian state means

One expert has offered clarification around what recognising Palestine as a state means, ahead of New Zealand's decision. 

Canada, the UK, and Australia have now formally recognised an independent Palestinian state.

Winston Peters is in New York for the UN General Assembly and will reveal New Zealand's position later this week.

Australia National University lecturer, Dr Anas Iqtait, says this means recognising a hypothetical Palestinian state - which would occupy the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. 

"This symbolic nature is really related to this reality, rather than the other point - which is, there isn't currently sovereignty on the ground, it's a hypothetical state."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
What does recognizing Palestine actually mean? The Brits, the Aussies,
the Canadians, they have all done it. We're mulling the idea,
Doctor Nasiktite is with the Australian National University with me,
good evening, Good evening. Tell me I've had a rate
of Pennywong's statement. What exactly or who exactly are they
recognizing here?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Well, the recognition is for a Palestinian state, and this
state is hypothetically, at some point in the future, would
exist on the boundaries of the nineteen sixty seven You
and General Resolution to for two which was which recognized
rather the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip

(00:42):
as occupied territory. So this state is a future Palestinian
state that would exist on these borders, and for the
for the time being, the recognition is for the Palestinian
governance structure, which is represented by the Palestinian Authority, which

(01:03):
would then be treated as a state again waiting for
a future point where this government would actually turn into
a state and have sovereignty over land and territory, and
that light being the West Bank, the Gaza Strip as
well as East Jerusalem.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Okay, so a lot of water to go under a
lot of different bridges there in order to get to
that point. Given how hypothetical it is, is it just
more symbolic.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
I think the symbolic nature of this is not only
because it's a hypothetical future scenario where facts on the
ground suggest and point the other way, which is total
Israeli control over this area. But the symbolic nature is
related to the context that exists today in these territories

(01:54):
that I just mentioned. In the West Bank we are
facing and we are witnessing an accelerated rate of displacement,
as well as Israeli annexation East Jerusalem was annexed to
his role in the nineteen eighties. And in the Gaza Strip,
we are witnessing what the United Nations and the world's
leading international organizations are describing as a genocide as well

(02:18):
as ethnic cleansing. So this is the context under which
Palestinians live right now, as including Palestinian governance, including the
Palestinian government and the Palestinian governing elites. So the symbolic
nature is really related to this reality rather than the
other points, which is it's not necessarily there isn't currently

(02:40):
sovereignty on the ground it's a hypothetical state and so on.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
All right, interesting stuff, Doctor and tite with us Senior
Lecture Arab and Islamic Studies at the I in U for.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
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Speaker 1 (02:52):
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