Why is Israel still occupying the West Bank?

Israel has cited several reasons for retaining the West Bank within its ambit: a claim based on the notion of historic rights to this as a homeland as affirmed in the Balfour Declaration; security grounds, internal and external; and the deep symbolic value for Jews of the area occupied.

Why is Samaria important in the Bible?

Samaria means “watch mountain” and is the name of both a city and a territory. When the Israelites conquered the Promised Land, this region was allotted to the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. Much later, the city of Samaria was built on a hill by King Omri and named after the former owner, Shemer.

What happened to the West Bank and Gaza?

In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza and later placed a blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory. Israel has since fought two wars there. The West Bank and East Jerusalem are still in Israeli hands, although they are nominally governed by the Palestinian Authority based in Ramallah.

What are the Israeli settlements in the West Bank?

Israelis are seen near a construction site in the Israeli settlement of Ramat Shlomo, in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Baz Ratner / Reuters What are these settlements? They are Jewish communities built in Gaza, the West Bank and parts of East Jerusalem — areas captured by Israel during the 1967 war with neighboring Egypt, Jordan and Syria.

How many Israeli settlements are ‘authorized’?

According to Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, at least 125 Israeli settlements are “authorized” by the Israeli state. In addition, there are about 100 outposts that are unauthorized and which are restricted or inaccessible to Palestinians.

Are Israel’s settlements an obstacle to peace?

Most countries view the settlements as an obstacle to peace but many in Israel disagree, citing a biblical, historical and political connection to the land as well as security interests. Washington, along with most of the world’s governments, continues to consider settlement activity illegitimate.