From Constantinople to Oslo to Gaza: Developments of Palestine's maritime legislation under colonization

Due to its colonial heritage over more than a century, Palestine has been unable to regulate its maritime affairs. The 2015 accession of Palestine to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) offers an opportunity to craft comprehensive legislation that may give rise to the domestication of international law of the sea. Such harmonization is called for annually by the UN General Assembly. Some UNCLOS-based laws might accord Palestine the means of claiming particular maritime rights towards other State parties or even non-parties to UNCLOS, relevant international organizations, law of the sea tribunals, or even companies operating ships, submarines, oil rigs and aircrafts. While the reform process is separate from the State's ability to enforce these stipulations, domestication of maritime laws would enhance State's image on the global stage, increasing its credibility and contributing to its independence.