What is the purpose of the West Bank?

Israel claims historical and religious rights to the West Bank as the ancestral land of the Jewish people. It also says its presence there – especially in the Jordan Valley – is strategically vital for its self-defence.

What is the West Bank of Israel?

Within its present boundaries, the West Bank represents the portion of the former mandate retained in 1948 by the Arab forces that entered Palestine after the departure of the British. The borders and status of the area were established by the Jordanian-Israeli armistice of April 3, 1949.

What is Gaza and West Bank?

The Palestinian Territories consist of two distinct areas: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. The southern limit of the Gaza Strip is the border with Egypt. Egypt renounced all claims to land north of the international border, including the Gaza Strip, in the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty.

How many settlements does Israel have in the West Bank?

� Since 1967, Israel has established about 150 settlements (residential and others) in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; in addition to some 100 “outposts” erected by settlers without official authorization.

When did Israel take the West Bank and East Jerusalem?

In June 1967, the West Bank and East Jerusalem were captured by Israel as a result of the Six-Day War. With the exception of East Jerusalem and the former Israeli-Jordanian no man’s land, the West Bank was not annexed by Israel; it remained under Israeli military control until 1982.

How much of the West Bank is controlled by the Palestinians?

Since the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority officially controls a geographically non-contiguous territory comprising approx. 11\% of the West Bank (known as Area A) which remains subject to Israeli incursions. Area B (approx. 28\%) is subject to joint Israeli-Palestinian military and Palestinian civil control.

Where is the West Bank located in the world?

West Bank. The West Bank (Arabic: الضفة الغربية‎ aḍ-Ḍiffah l-Ġarbiyyah; Hebrew: הגדה המערבית‎ HaGadah HaMa’aravit or יהודה ושומרון Yehuda VeShomron) is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by the Green Line separating it and Israel on the south, west and north.