State of Palestine
In a statement marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on 26 September 2023, Palestine called upon all States that have not yet joined the TPNW to do so and ‘to work towards its universality’. This Treaty, it said, ‘will uplift the NPT and is considered complementary to it’.[1]
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Test | Compliant | |
| Possess or stockpile | Compliant | |
| (b) | Transfer | Compliant |
| (c) | Receive transfer or control | Compliant |
| (d) | Use | Compliant |
| Threaten to use | Compliant | |
| (e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compliant |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compliant |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compliant |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | N/A |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| 2MSP delegation size (% women) | 2 (0%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | N/A |
| Other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) treaties | |
|---|---|
| Party to an NWFZ | No |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 2015) |
| Ratified the CTBT | No |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 2018) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Acceded 2018) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes (7 Sep 2022) |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | 22 Jul 2022 (Met 7 Sep 2022) |
| Small Quantities Protocol | Yes (Modified) |
| Additional Protocol | No |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
Palestine participated in the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (2MSP) in November and December 2023, where it described the elimination of nuclear weapons as ‘a moral, political and legal responsibility’ and rejected the view that certain States are ‘entitled’ to possess such weapons or that disarmament can be ‘optional or conditional’. It recalled its ‘serious and constructive’ engagement in the drafting of the TPNW in 2017, ‘out of full awareness of the dangers posed by nuclear weapons to our world and humanity as a whole’, and said that it was proud of its contributions to the Treaty. It also renewed its call for all States to join the Treaty and stressed the importance of its universalisation. Palestine, moreover, noted that the Article 1 of the TPNW includes a prohibition on the threat of use of nuclear weapons, and reiterated its ‘categorical rejection of any threat to use nuclear weapons from any party against any party, including the recent threats issued by an extremist official in the Israeli occupation government’ during Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.2
Recommendations
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Palestine should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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Palestine should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.
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Palestine should conclude and bring into force an Additional Protocol with the IAEA.
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Palestine should also sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).