What does it mean to recognise Palestinian statehood?

There are no binding rules about when one country should recognise another, but international law provides some guidelines. The Montevideo Convention on the rights and duties of states, signed by 20 countries in North and South America in 1933, sets out four criteria: a state should have a permanent population; a government; defined borders; and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. But many places recognised as states do not meet those requirements—for instance those with two governments, such as Libya. (Recognising a state usually implies recognising its government, but in such cases countries may choose to endorse whichever government that they consider legitimate.) Some states emerge after national movements declare independence and seek international recognition.