On December 17, Bolivia extended diplomatic recognition to the
State of Palestine within its full pre-1967 borders (all of the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem). Coming
soon after the similar recognitions by Brazil and Argentina,
Bolivia’s recognition brought to 106 the number of UN member
states recognizing the State of Palestine, whose independence
was proclaimed on November 15, 1988. While still under foreign
belligerent occupation, the State of Palestine possesses all the
customary international law criteria for sovereign statehood. No
portion of its territory is recognized by any other country
(other than Israel) as any other country’s sovereign territory,
and, indeed, Israel has only asserted sovereignty over a small
portion of its territory, expanded East Jerusalem, leaving
sovereignty over the rest both literally and legally
uncontested. In this context, it may be enlightening to consider
the quality as well as the quantity of the states extending
diplomatic recognition. Of the w