West Bank

The West Bank is a landlocked territory not recognized as a de jure part of any sovereign country. The West Bank is considered by the United Nations and most countries as occupied by Israel, though some Israelis and various other groups prefer to refer to it as "disputed" rather than "occupied" territory. Located west and south-west of the Jordan River in the eastern part of the Palestine region in the Middle East, it is bordered by Israel to the west, north, and south, and by Jordan to the east. 40% of the area (including most of the population) is under the limited civilian jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, while Israel maintains overall control (including over Israeli settlements, rural areas, and border regions). The population of the West Bank is predominantly Palestinian (86%) with a significant minority of Israeli settlers.

Related Topics:
De jure - United Nations - Israel - Jordan River - Palestine region - Middle East - Jordan - Palestinian Authority - Israeli settlement - Palestinian - Israeli settlers

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In Hebrew it is referred to by the Biblical names of Yehuda and Shomron, and some English speakers use the equivalent Judea and Samaria. The name Cisjordan is also used for the region in some languages (e.g. French). Its borders were defined by the 1948 Arab-Israeli War armistice lines after the dissolution of the British mandate of Palestine, when it was captured and annexed by Jordan. It was then captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, although with the exception of East Jerusalem, it was not annexed.

Related Topics:
Hebrew - Biblical - English - Judea and Samaria - 1948 Arab-Israeli War - British mandate of Palestine - Jordan - Israel - Six-Day War

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The status of East Jerusalem is controversial. Israel, having annexed it, no longer considers it part of the West Bank; however, the annexation is not recognized by any other country, nor by the United Nations. In either case, it is often treated as separate from the West Bank due to its importance; for example, the Oslo Peace Accords treat the status of East Jerusalem as a separate matter from the status of the other Palestinian territories, to be resolved at a later undetermined date.

Related Topics:
East Jerusalem - Oslo Peace Accords

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