United Nations Charter Article 51
“Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.”
People need to understand that international law is not mandatory but it can be voluntarily applied by member nation(s). As of March 2025, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 3/4ths of United Nations’ member states. Therefore Israel should totally withdraw from the State Of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza). Otherwise, its occupation of the State Of Palestine will be considered an unlawful armed attack.
However until the U.N. Security Council unanimously agrees to this, the de facto recognition by the U.N. member nations of the State Of Palestine as a sovereign state will never become formal de jure U.N. international law.
The foregoing is due to the fact that Israeli occupation of these territories is a direct result of unlawful armed attack by Israel. Israel unlawfully seized and then annexed the West Bank in 1967. Israel moreover has unlawfully blockaded Gaza since 2007. People need to realize that while the State Of Israel cannot be expelled from the United Nations for not following U.N. international law, it can and should be stripped of its rights and privileges for its non-compliance.
The events of October 7th, 2023 were not an act of terrorism by Hamas. It was a justifiable revolt instead according to international law.
By Harsha Sankar