Protection of Natural Resources in International Law: Case Study of Palestine

This paper addresses the issue of protection of wealth and natural resources of nations on the grounds that such protection is still experiencing many contradictions in theory and practice. Although the international community through many of its organizations, particularly the United Nations, has issued several resolutions which confirm the right of peoples to self-determination and their right to have complete control over their wealth and natural resources, the main dilemma lies in two directions. Firstly, the weakness of the texts of such international resolutions and implementation mechanism. Secondly, the policies of the great powers in their relentless attempts to circumvent these decisions through their practices on the ground. Israeli occupation is a clear example of plundering the Palestinian wealth and natural resources in violation of all of the rules and principles of the international law and resolutions of the international legitimacy.