By the end of British rule in Palestine on 14 May 1948, Palestinian nationality had become well established in accordance with both domestic law and international law. Accordingly, the legal origin of Palestinian nationality lies in this nearly thirty-year period as the status of Palestinians has never been settled since. Hence, any legal consideration on the future status of individuals who once held Palestinian nationality should start from the point at which the British rule over Palestine was terminated. This work provides a legal basis for future settlement of the status of Palestinians of all categories that emerged in some sixty years following the end of the Palestine Mandate: Israeli citizens, inhabitants of the occupied territory, and Palestinian refugees. In conclusion, nationality as regulated by Britain in Palestine represents an international status that cannot be legally altered except in accordance with international law.

Mutaz M. Qafisheh, a Palestinian-French lawyer, holds a Ph.D. degree (2007) in international law, with distinction, from the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva. He teaches at the Faculty of Law, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, and manages an international program to enhance legal education of Palestinian law schools. Until recently (2001-2008) he worked as a Human Rights Officer at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Ramallah, Geneva and Beirut. He was previously employed as Director of a project on Palestinian Security Sector Reform, as a Legal Advisor for the Palestinian Parliament and as a Legal Researcher at Birzeit University, Palestine. His academic specialization includes human rights, refugee law, humanitarian law, private international law, Palestinian and Middle East law.