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5 J. Int'l L & Int'l Rel. 89 (2009)
Lessons from Kosovo: The Law of Statehood and Palestinian Unilateral Independence

handle is hein.journals/jilwirl5 and id is 277 raw text is: Lessons From Kosovo
The Law of Statehood and Palestinian Unilateral Independence
ZOHAR NEVO AND TAMAR MEGIDDO*
I.    In tro d u ction  ..........................................................................................................................................90
11. The International Law            of Statehood..................................................................................................90
1.   The Classical Conditions for Statehood: Effectiveness ......................................................           90
2.   Trends and Additional Considerations: Legality and Legitimacy........................91
a. Legal Principles Affecting Statehood .............................................................................. 91
b. Relevant Past Cases            ............            ..........................................................................93
c. International Law         of Statehood Prior to Kosovo.............................................................95
I. Kosovo's Declaration of Independence and the Classical Criteria........................................                      96
1.   Historical Background..................................................................................................................96
a.  K osovo    Before    1999   ..................................................................................................................96
b. International Intervention ....................................................................................................96
c. The Lead-up to the Unilateral Declaration of Independence......................................                     97
2.   The International Reaction to the Declaration of Independence.......................................98
3.   Kosovo and the Classical Criteria for Statehood..................................................................99
IV. Possible Consequences of the Recognition of Kosovo.................................................................101
1.   Can the Kosovo Case Serve as a Precedent? The Sui Generis Argument ...........................101
2.   Additional Considerations of Significance in the Kosovo Case ..........................................103
a. Human Rights Violations and Remedial Secession..........................................................103
b. Federation Dissolution ........................................................................................................... 103
c. The Significance of International Involvement and Administration.............................104
d. Deadlocked Negotiations: a Last Resort? ...........................................................................104
e. Avoiding Destabilization.......................................................................................................105
f.  A dd  itional Factors     ..................................................................................................................105
g. Conclusion: What Does It All Mean? ..................................................................................106
V. Palestine: Before and After Kosovo.................................................................................................106
1.   Does the Palestinian Authority Meet the Classical Criteria of Statehood?........................107
2.   Additional Considerations .................................................................................................... III
a.  Self-d  eterm   ination   ..................................................................................................................111
b.  Rem   edial Secession      .................................................................................................................112
c. International Involvement and Administration................................................................113
d. Deadlocked Negotiations ...................................................................................................... 113
e. Additional Considerations: Democracy and Human Rights...........................................114
VI. Conclusion: Palestine and Legitimacy...........................................................................................114
* Zohar Nevo, LL.B., Tamar Megiddo, LL.B., Hebrew University of Jerusalem. We would like to
thank and express our gratitude to Dr. Robbie Sabel and Prof. Yuval Shany for their comments
and guidance. However, all positions expressed and any mistakes that may be found herein
remain solely our own.
@ 2009 Journal of International Law and International Relations
Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 89-115. ISSN: 1712-2988.

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