179-651: [REDACTED] Palestinian Authority [REDACTED] National Security Forces [REDACTED] Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades [REDACTED] Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades [REDACTED] National Resistance Brigades [REDACTED] al-Qassam Brigades [REDACTED] Al-Quds Brigades 29 September 2000 – 1 January 2005: 29 September 2000 – 1 January 2005: Lists The Second Intifada ( Arabic : الانتفاضة الثانية , romanized : Al-Intifāḍa aṯ-Ṯhāniya , lit. 'The Second Uprising'; Hebrew : האינתיפאדה השנייה Ha-Intifada ha-Shniya ), also known as
358-637: A Likud party delegation guarded by hundreds of Israeli riot police visited the Temple Mount , which is widely considered the third holiest site in Islam . Israel has claimed sovereignty over the Mount and the rest of East Jerusalem since 1980 , and the compound is the holiest site in Judaism . The Israeli Interior Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami , who permitted Sharon's visit, later claimed that he had telephoned
537-649: A Palestinian State , Jordan renounced all territorial claims to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In 1993, following the Oslo Accords , parts of the territories politically came under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian National Authority ( Palestinian enclaves , technically known as Areas A and B). Israel still exercised full military and civil control over 61% of the West Bank ( Area C ). The Oslo Accords established access to
716-637: A non-fulfillment of a duty with which the Defence Minister was charged , and it was recommended that Sharon be dismissed as Defence Minister. Sharon initially refused to resign, but after the death of an Israeli after a peace march, Sharon did resign as Defense minister, but remained in the Israeli cabinet. The Palestinians condemned Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount as a provocation and an incursion, as were his armed bodyguards that arrived on
895-629: A prime minister leading a Cabinet. According to the Palestinian Basic Law which was signed by Arafat in 2002 after a long delay, the current structure of the PA is based on three separate branches of power: executive, legislative, and judiciary. The PA was created by, is ultimately accountable to, and has historically been associated with, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), with whom Israel negotiated
1074-761: A Hamas-led Palestinian government was formed, the Quartet (United States, Russia, United Nations, and European Union) conditioned future foreign assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on the future government's commitment to non-violence, recognition of the State of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements. Hamas rejected these demands, which resulted in the Quartet suspension of its foreign assistance program and Israel imposed economic sanctions . In December 2006, Ismail Haniyeh , Prime Minister of
1253-863: A case at the International Criminal Court, increasing credibility of any Palestinianin attempt to do so. The UN has, after granting Palestine observer state status, permitted Palestine to title its representative office to the UN as 'The Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations', seen by many as a reflexion of the UN's de facto recognition of the State of Palestine's sovereignty, and Palestine has started to re-title its name accordingly on postal stamps, official documents and passports. The Palestinian authorities have also instructed its diplomats to officially represent ' The State of Palestine ', as opposed to
1432-482: A change in the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank. In February 2011, the Palestinian Authority announced that parliamentary and presidential elections would be held by September 2011. On 27 April 2011, Fatah's Azzam al-Ahmad announced the party's signing of a memorandum of understanding with Hamas' leadership, a major step towards reconciliation effectively paving the way for a unity government . The deal
1611-594: A double game...with regards to battling Hamas, there's coordination if not cooperation with Israel. But on the political front, the PA is trying to generate a popular intifada." Since the Hamas-Fatah split in 2007, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority based in areas of the West Bank had stabilized, though no significant economic growth had been achieved. Until 2012, there had also been no progress in promotion of PNA status in
1790-578: A final agreement on the Israeli–Palestinian peace process in July 2000. An uptick in violent incidents started in September 2000, after Israeli politician Ariel Sharon made a provocative visit to the Temple Mount ; the visit itself was peaceful, but, as anticipated, sparked protests and riots that Israeli police put down with rubber bullets, live ammunition, and tear gas. Within the first few days of
1969-602: A government in Ramallah for the entire PA largely shunned by the United States and Israel. The Fatah movement continued to dominate the PA security forces in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip by force, executing PA officers and removing its officials, many of whom, such as Muhammad Dahlan , escaped the Gaza Strip with their families. Mahmoud Abbas promptly deposed
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#17327662996082148-405: A government, it had not been implemented. The 2011 deal also promised the entry of Hamas into the Palestine Liberation Organization and holding of elections to its Palestine National Council decision-making body, which was not implemented as well. The deal was further ratified in the 2012 Hamas–Fatah Doha agreement , which was made with the background of Hamas relocation from Damascus, due to
2327-684: A larger area was allotted to the planned Palestinian state in Resolution 181 of 29 November 1947, but the Arabs rejected it and in the 1948 Palestine war , the Israeli army conquered major parts of it. While in the Partition Plan about 45% of historic Palestine was destined for the Arabic state, the Palestinian territories constitute only some 23%. The last figure is including all space occupied by Israeli settlements , walls , and roads . In
2506-774: A last attempt by the Clinton administration to achieve a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, a summit was planned in Sharm el-Sheikh in December. However, Israeli Prime Minister Barak decided not to attend after the Palestinians delayed their acceptance of the Clinton Parameters . The Taba Summit between Israel and the Palestinian Authority was held from 21 to 27 January 2001, at Taba in
2685-480: A military and economic blockade of the Gaza Strip. When that failed to topple the new government, a covert operation was launched to eliminate Hamas by force. The covert initiative was exposed when confidential State Department documents were accidentally leaked by the U.S. envoy. The talking points delivered to the Fatah leadership said: Hamas should be given a clear choice, with a clear deadline: they either accept
2864-493: A new government that meets the Quartet principles, or they reject it. The consequences of Hamas' decision should also be clear: If Hamas does not agree within the prescribed time, you should make clear your intention to declare a state of emergency and form an emergency government explicitly committed to that platform. Since the Battle of Gaza (2007) , the administration of the territories has been contested by two rival factions of
3043-576: A partner and refused to negotiate with him, regarding him as linked to terrorism. Arafat denied this, and was visited by other leaders around the world up until his death. However, this began a push for change in the Palestinian leadership. In 2003, Mahmoud Abbas resigned because of lack of support from Israel, the US, and Arafat himself. He won the presidency on 9 January 2005 with 62% of the vote. Former prime minister Ahmed Qureia formed his government on 24 February 2005 to wide international praise because, for
3222-519: A prearranged location off the Gaza coast, where the Palestinian Authority would recover it. On 8 May 2001, two Israeli teenagers, Yaakov "Koby" Mandell (13) and Yosef Ishran (14), were kidnapped while hiking near their village. Their bodies were discovered the next morning in a cave near where they lived. USA Today reported that, according to the police, both boys had "been bound, stabbed and beaten to death with rocks." The newspaper continued, "The walls of
3401-620: A revolt against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories . Al-Aqsa Intifada refers to Al-Aqsa , the main name for the mosque compound constructed in the 8th century CE atop the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem , and also known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif . The Intifada is sometimes called the Oslo War (מלחמת אוסלו) by some Israelis who consider it to be
3580-468: A second Palestinian uprising, following the first Palestinian uprising , which occurred between December 1987 and 1993. "Intifada" ( انتفاضة ) translates into English as "uprising". Its root is an Arabic word meaning "the shaking off". It has been used in the meaning of "insurrection" in various Arab countries; the Egyptian riots of 1977 , for example, were called the "bread intifada". The term refers to
3759-431: A similar proposal in his Clinton Parameters . In more recent years, the Israeli position has strongly been favourable to keeping all of Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty. In 2005, Israel pulled all its remaining forces out of the Gaza Strip and dismantled its settlements. Nevertheless, according to the international community, the Gaza Strip is still considered to be occupied by Israel. Israel has denied that it occupies
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#17327662996083938-553: A single territorial unit." The term Occupied Palestinian Territory was used by the United Nations and other international organizations between October 1999 and December 2012 to refer to areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority . Since 2012, when Palestine was admitted as one of its non-member observer state, the United Nations has been using the name State of Palestine to describe
4117-463: A vote of 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions. Immediately after the Six-Day War of June 1967, Israel effectively annexed East Jerusalem , an area comprising the much smaller prior Jordanian municipality of east Jerusalem and a surrounding area of the West Bank, as far as Kalandia to the north and Har Homa to the south. Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration were applied to this area, which
4296-645: Is administered as part of the Jerusalem District of Israel, but is claimed by Palestine as part of the Jerusalem Governorate . It was annexed by Israel in 1980, but this annexation is not recognised by any other country. Of the 456,000 people in East Jerusalem, roughly 60% are Palestinians and 40% are Israelis. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) foreign relations are conducted by the minister of foreign affairs . The PNA
4475-463: Is recognized by 146 nations as of June 2024 . In November 2012, the United Nations voted to recognize the State of Palestine as a non-member UN observer state . Widely considered an authoritarian regime , the Palestinian Authority has not held elections in over 15 years. It has been criticized for human rights abuses, including cracking down on journalists , human rights activists , and dissent against its rule. The Palestinian Authority
4654-415: Is represented abroad by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which maintains a network of missions and embassies. In states that recognise the State of Palestine it maintains embassies and in other states it maintains "delegations" or "missions". Representations of foreign states to the Palestinian Authority are performed by "missions" or "offices" in Ramallah and Gaza . States that recognise
4833-485: Is the main obstacle in the talks. In a 25 Feb statement to local newspaper Felesteen , Hamas foreign relations chief Osama Hamdan accused the United States and Israel of blocking Palestinian reconciliation. The United States is putting pressure on the PA to not reconcile with Hamas until the latter recognizes the Quartet on the Middle East 's conditions, including the recognition of Israel, which Hamas rejects. After
5012-719: The 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict , but dissolved on 17 June 2015 after President Abbas said it was unable to operate in the Gaza Strip. The United Nations , the European Union , International Committee of the Red Cross , and the government of the United Kingdom , have used for many years the terms the "Occupied Palestinian Territory" or "Occupied Palestinian Territories". The phrase "occupied Palestine" has been used by Palestinians to mean Israel although Professor Julie Peteet also says that this usage diminished with
5191-534: The Al-Aqsa Intifada , was a major uprising by Palestinians against Israel and its occupation from 2000. The period of heightened violence in the Palestinian territories and Israel continued until the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005 , which ended hostilities. The general triggers for the unrest are speculated to have been centered on the failure of the 2000 Camp David Summit , which was expected to reach
5370-528: The Fatah–Hamas conflict . It stated that a unity government should be formed within five weeks, ahead of a presidential and parliamentary election within six months. The Palestinian unity government of 2014 formed on 2 June 2014 as a national and political union under Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas . The European Union, the United Nations, the United States, China, India, Russia and Turkey all agreed to work with it. The Israeli government condemned
5549-557: The Gaza Strip prior to the Palestinian elections of 2006 and the subsequent Gaza conflict between the Fatah and Hamas parties, when it lost control to Hamas ; the PA continues to claim the Gaza Strip, although Hamas exercises de facto control. Since January 2013, following United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19 , the Palestinian Authority has used the name "State of Palestine" on official documents, without prejudice to
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5728-708: The Israel police , as well as large-scale rioting by both Arabs and Jews. Twelve Arab citizens of Israel and a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip were killed by Israeli police, while an Israeli Jew was killed when his car was hit by a rock on the Tel-Aviv-Haifa freeway . During the first month of the Intifada, 141 Palestinians were killed and 5,984 were wounded, while 12 Israelis were killed and 65 wounded. A general strike and demonstrations across northern Israel began on 1 October and continued for several days. In some cases,
5907-489: The Israeli West Bank barrier ). Former U.S. President George W. Bush stated, during his presidency, that he did not expect Israel to return entirely to pre-1967 borders, due to "new realities on the ground." Both US President Bill Clinton and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair , who played notable roles in attempts at mediation, noted the need for some territorial and diplomatic compromise on this issue, based on
6086-422: The Israeli–Palestinian conflict was the only viable option. If rule over the territory was to be transferred to the kingdom, it would only "replace Israeli military rule with Jordanian military rule... and the Palestinians want their own state". On Thursday, 29 November 2012, In a 138–9 vote (with 41 abstaining) General Assembly resolution 67/19 passed, upgrading Palestine to "non-member observer state" status in
6265-569: The Mount of Olives . By the end of the day, seven Palestinians had been killed and 300 had been wounded; 70 Israeli policemen were also injured in the clashes. In the days that followed, demonstrations erupted all over the West Bank and Gaza . Israeli police responded with live fire and rubber-coated bullets. In the first five days, at least 47 Palestinians were killed, and 1,885 were wounded. In Paris, as Jacques Chirac attempted to mediate between
6444-523: The Old City of Jerusalem . Israeli police fired at Palestinians at the Temple Mount throwing stones over the Western Wall at Jewish worshippers. After the chief of Jerusalem's police force was knocked unconscious by a stone, they switched to live ammunition and killed four Palestinian youths. Up to 200 Palestinians and police were injured. Another three Palestinians were killed in the Old City and on
6623-542: The Oslo Accords . The PLC is an elected body of 132 representatives, which must confirm the Prime Minister upon nomination by the President, and which must approve all government cabinet positions proposed by the Prime Minister. The Judicial Branch has yet to be formalized. The President of the PA is directly elected by the people, and the holder of this position is also considered to be the commander-in-chief of
6802-491: The Oslo Accords . The United States government considers the West Bank and Gaza as a single entity for political, economic, legal and other purposes. The State Department and other U.S. government agencies, such as USAID West Bank and Gaza, have been tasked with projects in the areas of democracy, governance, resources, and infrastructure. Part of the USAID mission is to provide flexible and discrete support for implementation of
6981-580: The Palestinian Legislative Council postponed the planned unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian state. While Peres had limited settlement construction at the request of US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright , Netanyahu continued construction within existing Israeli settlements and put forward plans for the construction of a new neighbourhood, Har Homa , in East Jerusalem . However, he fell far short of
7160-614: The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) role as "representative of the Palestinian people". The Palestinian Authority was formed on 4 May 1994, pursuant to the Gaza–Jericho Agreement between the PLO and the government of Israel , and was intended to be a five-year interim body . Further negotiations were then meant to take place between the two parties regarding its final status. According to
7339-680: The Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for a period of five years, during which final-status negotiations would take place. The Palestinian Central Council , itself acting on behalf of the Palestine National Council of the PLO, implemented this agreement in a meeting convened in Tunis from 10 to 11 October 1993, making the Palestinian Authority accountable to the PLO Executive Committee . The administrative responsibilities accorded to
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7518-447: The Palestinian people , representing them at the United Nations under the name " Palestine ". General elections were held for its first legislative body, the Palestinian Legislative Council , on 20 January 1996. The expiration of the body's term was 4 May 1999, but elections were not held because of the "prevailing coercive situation". On 7 July 2004, the Quartet of Middle East mediators informed Ahmed Qurei , Prime Minister of
7697-486: The Sinai peninsula . Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat came closer to reaching a final settlement than any previous or subsequent peace talks yet ultimately failed to achieve their goals. On 17 January 2001, Israeli teenager Ofir Rahum was murdered after being lured into Ramallah by a 24-year-old Palestinian, Mona Jaud Awana, a member of Fatah's Tanzim . She had contacted Ofir on
7876-488: The Six-Day War of 1967. In 1967, Israel occupied both territories and has since maintained control. In 1980, Israel absorbed East Jerusalem and proclaimed the entire to be its capital. The inclusion, though never formally amounting to legal annexation, was condemned internationally and declared "null and void" by the United Nations General Assembly . The Palestinian National Authority,
8055-555: The State of Palestine also accredit to the PLO (as the government-in-exile of the State of Palestine) non-resident ambassadors residing in third countries. Palestinian territories The occupied Palestinian territories , also referred to as the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Palestinian territories , consist of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem ) and the Gaza Strip —two regions of
8234-573: The UN General Assembly . The ISO adopted the name change in 2013. The UN Security Council continues to treat Palestine as a non-sovereign entity, preventing its admission to the UN General Assembly as a full member state. Israeli governments have maintained that the area involved is within territorial dispute . The extent of the territories, while subject to future negotiations, have frequently been revendicated by
8413-534: The United States and Guatemala both have embassies in the Jerusalem. Israel asserts that these territories are not currently claimed by any other state and that Israel has the right to control them. Israel's position has not been accepted by most countries and international bodies, and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem ) and the Gaza Strip are referred to as occupied territories (with Israel as
8592-566: The West Bank on 23 December 2004. On 27 January 2005, the first round of the municipal elections took place in the Gaza Strip for officials in 10 local councils. Further rounds in the West Bank took place in May 2005. Elections for a new Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) were scheduled for July 2005 by Acting Palestinian Authority President Rawhi Fattuh in January 2005. These elections were postponed by Mahmoud Abbas after major changes to
8771-769: The Wye River Agreement of November 1998, but the continued expansion of existing settlements with plans for 3,000 new houses in the West Bank drew strong condemnation from the Palestinian leadership. Though construction within existing settlements was permitted under the Oslo agreements, Palestinian supporters contend that any continued construction was contrary to its spirit, prejudiced the outcome of final status negotiations, and undermined Palestinian confidence in Barak's desire for peace. The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David , from 11 to 25 July 2000, took place between
8950-507: The "1967 borders", they are historically the armistice lines under the 1949 Armistice Agreements , which brought an end to the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , and are commonly referred to as the Green Line . The 1949 armistice lines were expressly declared to be armistice lines, and not international borders. Some Palestinian negotiators have claimed a return to those lines as the borders of a future Palestinian state, while Hamas does not recognize
9129-531: The ' Palestine National Authority '. Additionally, on 17 December 2012, UN Chief of Protocol Yeocheol Yoon decided that 'the designation of "State of Palestine" shall be used by the Secretariat in all official United Nations documents'. Critics point out that implementation of the Oslo Accords has not improved conditions for the population under occupation. In 2009, the UN considered the West Bank and
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#17327662996089308-433: The 'Palestine National Authority'. Additionally, on 17 December 2012, UN Chief of Protocol Yeocheol Yoon decided that "the designation of 'State of Palestine' shall be used by the Secretariat in all official United Nations documents". However, in a speech in 2016 president Abbas said that "The Palestinian Authority exists and it is here," and "The Palestinian Authority is one of our achievements and we won't give it up." On
9487-790: The 1996 elections, Israelis elected a right-wing coalition led by the Likud candidate, Benjamin Netanyahu who was followed in 1999 by the Labor Party leader Ehud Barak . From 11 to 25 July 2000, the Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David was held between the United States President Bill Clinton , Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak , and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat . The talks ultimately failed with each side blaming
9666-401: The 2014 agreement, US president Barack Obama said in April 2014 that President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to form a national unity government with Hamas was "unhelpful" and undermined the negotiations with Israel. Amin Maqboul, secretary-general of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, told Al-Monitor , "Hamas did not stick to the 2014 agreement, as it has yet to hand over the reins of power over Gaza to
9845-472: The Arabs." Following the riots, a high degree of tension between Jewish and Arab citizens and distrust between the Arab citizens and police were widespread. An investigation committee, headed by Supreme Court Justice Theodor Or , reviewed the violent riots and found that the police were poorly prepared to handle such riots and charged major officers with bad conduct. The Or Commission reprimanded Prime Minister Ehud Barak and recommended Shlomo Ben-Ami , then
10024-461: The Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory". In its July 2024 advisory opinion, titled "Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem", the ICJ wrote "Territorial scope — Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 encompassing the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip — The 'Occupied Palestinian Territory' constituting, from legal standpoint,
10203-403: The Convention. They reaffirm the illegality of the settlements in the said territories and of the extension thereof." Article 47 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits any change of status in occupied territory concluded through negotiations between the occupying power and local authorities under occupation. This finding also suggests that Israel may be in violation of the Rome Statute (one of
10382-498: The Election Law were enacted by the PLC which required more time for the Palestinian Central Elections Committee to process and prepare. Among these changes were the expansion of the number of parliament seats from 88 to 132, with half of the seats to be competed for in 16 localities, and the other half to be elected in proportion to party votes from a nationwide pool of candidates. The following organizations, listed in alphabetic order, have taken part in recent popular elections inside
10561-429: The Foreign Minister of Palestine, formally confirmed the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Iceland and Palestine. The 2014 Fatah–Hamas Gaza Agreement provided for elections and the formation of a compromise unity government. The 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict intervened, however the unity government survived. In August, Palestinian leaders said they would apply to the United Nations Security Council for
10740-478: The Gaza Strip to still be occupied by Israel. Israel's policies and actions in its ongoing occupation of the Palestinian territories have drawn accusations that it is committing the crime of apartheid . Israel contends that the settlements are not illegal as the West Bank is considered a "disputed territory" under international law. United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 recognized Israel's rights to "safe and secure borders", which has been interpreted by
10919-401: The Gaza Strip under Israeli occupation. Many Israelis opposed the plan, and tensions were very high in Israel before and after the Disengagement Plan was approved by the Israeli Knesset on 16 February 2005. In August 2005, the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli police forcibly removed all settlers from the Gaza Strip. Israel completed the disengagement on 12 September 2005. Presently, most of
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#173276629960811098-450: The Gaza Strip, but two of the three border sectors of the Gaza Strip, together with the coast and airspace, are controlled by Israel (the third border sector near Rafah is controlled by Egypt). The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 stated in 2007: Israel remains an occupying Power in respect of Gaza. Arguments that Israel ceased its occupation of Gaza in 2005 following
11277-406: The Gaza Strip. After the Gaza Strip was taken over by Hamas on 14 June 2007, the Authority's Chairman Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led unity government and appointed Salam Fayyad as prime minister , dismissing Haniyeh. The move wasn't recognized by Hamas, thus resulting in two separate administrations – the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and a rival Hamas government in
11456-506: The Gaza Strip. The reconciliation process to unite the Palestinian governments achieved some progress over the years, but had failed to produce a re-unification. The Palestinian Authority received financial assistance from the European Union and the United States (approximately US$ 1 billion combined in 2005). All direct aid was suspended on 7 April 2006, as a result of the Hamas victory in parliamentary elections. Shortly thereafter, aid payments resumed, but were channeled directly to
11635-405: The Hamas-dominated PA government, and two rival administrations were created, a Fatah-controlled one in the West Bank, with which Israel, the US and the EU resumed business, and a Hamas-controlled one in the Gaza Strip which was largely shunned by the world community. After Hamas intensified rocket and mortar fire on Israeli civilian centers from the Gaza Strip, the United States and Israel instituted
11814-408: The ICC prosecutor with documentary evidence which shows that 67 states in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe have legally recognised the State of Palestine. In January 2010, King Abdullah of Jordan , after a meeting with the Israeli president Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos , declared that his country does not want to rule the West Bank and that "the two-state solution" to
11993-484: The Internal Security Minister, not serve again as Minister of Public Security. The committee also blamed Arab leaders and Knesset members for contributing to inflaming the atmosphere and making the violence more severe. On 12 October, PA police arrested two Israeli reservists who had accidentally entered Ramallah , where in the preceding weeks a hundred Palestinians had been killed, nearly two dozen of them minors. Rumours quickly spread that Israeli undercover agents were in
12172-454: The International community on the grounds that the unilateral annexation of territory occupied during war contravenes the Fourth Geneva Convention . The World Bank estimates the annual cost to the Palestinian economy of Israeli occupation at $ 3.4 billion in 2013. The cost of the occupation for Israel over four decades (1967–2007) is estimated to be $ 50 billion. In 1988, with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) intention to declare
12351-410: The Israeli government as meaning that Israel had a right to West Bank territory for secure borders. The San Remo Conference , binding under international law, further envisioned the West Bank as being part of a sovereign Jewish state , and arguably encourages, rather than prohibits Jewish settlement in the area. Furthermore, according to the Israeli government, many of the settlements were established on
12530-415: The Israeli government to the International Criminal Court under violations of the Rome Statute. On 31 January 2012, the United Nations independent "International Fact-Finding Mission on Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory" filed a report stating that if Israel did not stop all settlement activity immediately and begin withdrawing all settlers from the West Bank, it potentially might face
12709-435: The Israeli military. The Israeli Kahan Commission had concluded that Ariel Sharon , who was the Israeli Defense Minister during the Sabra and Shatila massacre, was found to bear personal responsibility "for ignoring the danger of bloodshed and revenge" and "not taking appropriate measures to prevent bloodshed." Sharon's negligence in protecting the civilian population of Beirut, which had come under Israeli control, amounted to
12888-602: The Israeli public. According to the Israel police investigation the sniper aimed deliberately at the baby. On 30 April 2001, seven Palestinian militants were killed in an explosion, one of them a participant in Ofir Rahum's murder. The IDF refused to confirm or deny Palestinian accusations that it was responsible. On 7 May 2001, IDF naval commandos captured the vessel Santorini , which was sailing in international waters towards Palestinian Authority-controlled Gaza. The ship
13067-531: The Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority was designated to have exclusive control over both security-related and civilian issues in Palestinian urban areas (referred to as " Area A ") and only civilian control over Palestinian rural areas (" Area B "). The remainder of the territories, including Israeli settlements , the Jordan Valley region and bypass roads between Palestinian communities, were to remain under Israeli control (" Area C "). East Jerusalem
13246-803: The Oslo accords, 405 Palestinians and 256 Israelis were killed. From 1996 Israel made extensive contingency plans and preparations, collectively code-named "Musical Charm", in the eventuality that peace talks might fail. In 1998, after concluding that the 5-year plan stipulated in the Oslo Talks would not be completed, the IDF implemented an Operation Field of Thorns plan to conquer towns in Area C, and some areas of Gaza, and military exercises at regimental level were carried out in April 2000 to that end. Palestinian preparations were defensive, and small-scale, more to reassure
13425-427: The PA from 2003 to 2006, that they were "sick and tired" of the Palestinians failure to carry out promised reforms: "If security reforms are not done, there will be no (more) international support and no funding from the international community" On 18 July 2004, United States President George W. Bush stated that the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of 2005 was unlikely due to instability and violence in
13604-428: The PA were limited to civil matters and internal security and did not include external security or foreign affairs. Palestinians in the diaspora and inside Israel were not eligible to vote in elections for the offices of the Palestinian Authority. The PA was legally separate from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which continues to enjoy international recognition as the sole legitimate representative of
13783-482: The PA, declared that the PA will never recognize Israel: "We will never recognize the usurper Zionist government and will continue our jihad-like movement until the liberation of Jerusalem." In an attempt to resolve the financial and diplomatic impasse, the Hamas-led government together with Fatah Chairman Mahmoud Abbas agreed to form a unity government . As a result, Haniyeh resigned on 15 February 2007 as part of
13962-476: The Palestinian (National) Authority as the Green Line . Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, 146 UN Member Nations have recognized the State of Palestine. It has not been recognized by Israel and most Western nations , including the United States . In 2014, Fatah and Hamas agreed to hold elections and form a compromise Unity Government . The government survived
14141-469: The Palestinian Authority erected no actions during the conflict of Israel with Hamas. The reconciliation process between Fatah and Hamas reached intermediate results by the two governments, most notably the agreement in Cairo on 27 April 2011, but with no final solution. Though the two agreed to form a unity government, and to hold elections in both territories within 12 months of the establishment of such
14320-548: The Palestinian Authority were founded in 1995 to replace the 8 Israeli military districts of the Civil Administration : 11 governorates in the West Bank and 5 in the Gaza Strip. The governorates are not regulated in any official law of decree by the Palestinian Authority but they are regulated by Presidential decrees, mainly Presidential Decree No. 22 of 2003, regarding the powers of the governors. The regional governors ( Arabic : محافظ muhafiz ) are appointed by
14499-409: The Palestinian Authority's security chief Jibril Rajoub before the visit and gotten his reassurances that as long as Sharon didn't enter the mosques his visit wouldn't cause any problems. Rajoub vociferously denied having given any such reassurances. Shortly after Sharon left the site, angry demonstrations by Palestinian Jerusalemites outside erupted into rioting. The person in charge of the waqf at
14678-523: The Palestinian Authority. Following Arafat's death on 11 November 2004, Rawhi Fattouh , leader of the Palestinian Legislative Council became acting president of the Palestinian Authority as provided for in Article 54(2) of the Authority's Basic Law and Palestinian Elections Law. On 19 April 2005, Vladimir Putin the president of Russia agreed to aid the Palestinian Authority stating, "We support
14857-507: The Palestinian Authority. Area B forms 22% of the West Bank, and is under Palestinian civil control, and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control. Area C , except East Jerusalem , forms 60% of the West Bank, and is administered by the Israeli Civil Administration , except that the Palestinian Authority provides the education and medical services to the 150,000 Palestinians in the area. 70.3% of Area C (40.5% of
15036-605: The Palestinian Authority: October 2006 polls showed that Fatah and Hamas had equal strength. On 14 June 2007, after the Battle of Gaza (2007) , Palestine president Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led government, leaving the government under his control for 30 days, after which the temporary government had to be approved by the Palestinian Legislative Council. The governorates ( Arabic : محافظات muhafazat ) of
15215-559: The Palestinian Cabinet announced that municipal elections would take place for the first time. Elections were announced for August 2004 in Jericho , followed by certain municipalities in the Gaza Strip . In July 2004 these elections were postponed. Issues with voter registration are said to have contributed to the delay. Municipal elections finally took place for council officials in Jericho and 25 other towns and villages in
15394-478: The Palestinian National Authority, with Hamas controlling the Gaza Strip and Fatah continuing to administer the West Bank. Both groups claim legitimacy over leadership of the Palestinian territories. Most countries with an interest in the issues, including most of the Arab countries, recognize the administration of Mahmoud Abbas as the legitimate government over both Palestinian Territories. During Operation Cast Lead
15573-606: The Palestinian Territories as an independent state is supported by the countries that form the Quartet 's " Road map for peace ". The government of Israel has also accepted the road map but with 14 reservations. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel–PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area . In other areas of
15752-539: The President. They are in charge of the Palestinian police force in their jurisdiction as well as coordinating state services such as education, health and transportation. The governorates are under the direct supervision of the Interior Ministry . The governorates in the West Bank are grouped into three areas per the Oslo II Accord . Area A forms 18% of the West Bank by area, and is administered by
15931-675: The Quartet Road Map. The Road Map is an internationally backed plan that calls for the progressive development of a viable Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza. Participating states provide assistance through direct contributions or through the Palestinian State account established by the World Bank. Hamas won a majority of seats in elections for the Palestinian Parliament in 2006 and formed
16110-492: The Shamir government's 1991–92 level and refrained from building new settlements, although the Oslo agreements stipulated no such ban. Construction of housing units before Oslo, 1991–92: 13,960; after Oslo, 1994–95: 3,840; 1996–1997: 3,570. With the aim of marginalising the settlers' more militant wing, Barak courted moderate settler opinion, securing agreement for the dismantlement of 12 new outposts that had been constructed since
16289-409: The State of Israel at all. The Arab League has supported these boundaries as the borders of the future State of Palestine in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative . The eastern limit of the West Bank is the border with Jordan . The Israel–Jordan peace treaty defined that border as the international border , and Jordan renounced all claims to territory west of it. The border segment between Jordan and
16468-565: The Strip to the Palestinian Authority but retained control of its borders including air and sea (except for the Egyptian border). This increased the percentage of land in the Gaza Strip nominally governed by the PA from 60 percent to 100 percent. Palestinian legislative elections took place on 25 January 2006. Hamas was victorious and Ismail Haniyeh was nominated as prime minister on 16 February 2006 and sworn in on 29 March 2006. However, when
16647-491: The Tel Aviv coastline Dolphinarium dancing club. Twenty-one Israeli civilians, most of them high school students, were killed and 132 injured. The attack significantly hampered American attempts to negotiate a cease-fire. The 12 June Murder of Georgios Tsibouktzakis by Palestinian snipers was later tied to Marwan Barghouti . A total of 469 Palestinians and 199 Israelis were killed in 2001. Amnesty International's report on
16826-483: The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1860 (2009), which said that the Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied in 1967 that will be a part of the Palestinian state. On 15 December 2011, Iceland recognized Palestine as an independent and sovereign state within the pre-1967 Six-Day War borders; Össur Skarphéðinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, and Dr. Riad Malki,
17005-455: The UN considered the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to still be occupied by Israel. On 29 November 2012, UNGA 67/19 reaffirmed "the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to independence in their State of Palestine on the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967" and decided "to accord to Palestine non-member observer State status in the United Nations". The next month, a UN legal memorandum recognized Palestine's preference of
17184-504: The UN will allow the State of Palestine to join treaties and specialised UN agencies , including the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the International Criminal Court, and other organisations for recognised sovereign nations. It shall permit Palestine to claim legal rights over its territorial waters and air space as a sovereign state recognised by the UN, and allow the Palestinian people
17363-605: The UN, as well in negotiations with Israel. Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority stayed out of the Gaza War in 2008–2009, which followed the six-month truce , between Hamas and Israel which ended on 19 December 2008. Hamas claimed that Israel broke the truce on 4 November 2008, though Israel blamed Hamas for an increasing rocket fire directed at southern Israeli towns and cities. The 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict began on 27 December 2008 (11:30 a.m. local time; 09:30 UTC ). Though condemning Israel over attacks on Gaza,
17542-513: The UN, nearly all countries voted in favour of Resolution 58/292 of 17 May 2004; namely, that the boundaries of a future Palestinian state should be based on the pre-1967 borders, which correspond with the Green Line. The Resolution affirmed, in connection with the Palestinian right to self-determination and to sovereignty, that the independent State of Palestine should be based on the pre-1967 borders. In Resolution 43/177 of 15 December 1988,
17721-541: The United Nations, international legal and humanitarian bodies and the broader international community regard East Jerusalem as part of the West Bank, and consequently, part of the Palestinian territories. The Palestinian National Authority never exercised sovereignty over the area, although it housed its offices in Orient House and several other buildings as an assertion of its sovereign interests. Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem has not been recognized by
17900-464: The United Nations. The new status equates Palestine's with that of the Holy See . The change in status was described by The Independent as "de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine". The vote was a historic benchmark for the partially recognised State of Palestine and its citizens, whilst it was a diplomatic setback for Israel and the United States. Status as an observer state in
18079-455: The United States President Bill Clinton , Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak , and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat . It failed with the latter two blaming each other for the failure of the talks. There were four principal obstacles to agreement: territory, Jerusalem and the Temple Mount , Palestinian refugees and the right of return , and Israeli security concerns. On 28 September, Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon and
18258-447: The West Bank is administered by Israel though 42% of it is under varying degrees of autonomous rule by the Fatah -run Palestinian Authority. The Gaza Strip is currently under the control of Hamas . The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent international treaty organisation with its own legislative assembly. Many of the member states recognise the State of Palestine. The Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki presented
18437-562: The West Bank was left undefined pending a definitive agreement on the status of the territory. 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 . The Palestinians were not parties to either agreement. The Gaza Strip is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea . The natural geographic boundary of
18616-694: The West Bank) is off limit to Palestinian construction and development. These areas include areas under jurisdiction of Israeli settlements, closed military zones, nature reserves and national parks and areas designated by Israel as "state land". There are about 330,000 Israelis living in settlements in Area C, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank . Although Area C is under martial law , Israelis living there are judged in Israeli civil courts. a. Data from Jerusalem includes occupied East Jerusalem with its Israeli population East Jerusalem
18795-661: The West Bank, as the name implies, is the Jordan River . To the Territories belong the territorial waters of the Gaza Strip and the part of the Dead Sea between the West Bank and the Jordan border-line (see adjacent CIA map), which are also completely controlled by Israel. The Palestinian territories are part of the area intended by the United Nations to become the territory of the future State of Palestine . Originally,
18974-445: The West Bank, but in the Gaza Strip . The international community regards the Palestinian territories, meaning the West Bank including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as territories occupied by Israel. Israel has withdrawn its military forces from the Gaza strip, but it continues to be designated the occupying power in the Gaza Strip by the United Nations, the United States and various human rights organizations. The final status of
19153-640: The West Bank, transfer of powers took place pursuant to the Israel–PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement , the Israel–PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron , the Israel–PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum , and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement . The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of Israeli settlements and citizens. Direct negotiations to determine
19332-476: The West Bank-based Cabinet formed by Fayyad was the sole legitimate Palestinian government, and Egypt moved its embassy from Gaza to the West Bank. Hamas, which government has an effective control of the Gaza Strip since 2007, faces international diplomatic and economic isolation. In 2013, political analyst Hillel Frisch from Bar-Ilan University 's BESA Center, noted that "The PA is playing
19511-528: The West Bank. 61% of the West Bank remains under direct Israeli military and civilian control. East Jerusalem was unilaterally annexed by Israel in 1980, prior to the formation of the PA. Since 2007 Gaza has been governed by the Hamas Government in Gaza . The politics of the Palestinian Authority take place within the framework of a semi-presidential multi-party republic, with the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), an executive president , and
19690-461: The advent of the peace process and PLO recognition of Israel. A parallel exists in the aspirations of David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, to establish Jewish sovereignty over all of Greater Israel in trust for the Jewish people. The Palestinian territories consist of two distinct areas: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. Although the boundaries are commonly referred to as
19869-558: The agreement. The unity government was finally formed on 18 March 2007 under Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and consisted of members from Hamas, Fatah and other parties and independents. The situation in the Gaza strip however quickly deteriorated into an open feud between the Hamas and Fatah, which eventually resulted in the Brothers' War . After the takeover in Gaza by Hamas on 14 June 2007, Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas dismissed
20048-491: The annexation as "a violation of international law". This annexation has not been recognized by other nations, although the United States Congress declared its intention to recognize the annexation (a proposal that has been condemned by other states and organizations). Because of the question of Jerusalem's status, most states base their diplomatic missions there and treat Tel Aviv as the capital, though
20227-475: The armed forces. In an amendment to the Basic Law approved in 2003, the president appoints the Prime Minister who is also chief of the security services in the Palestinian territories. The Prime Minister chooses a cabinet of ministers and runs the government, reporting directly to the President. Parliamentary elections were conducted in January 2006 after the passage of an overhauled election law that increased
20406-524: The beginning of the Second Intifada and derailment of the peace process. According to Juliana Ochs, Sharon's visit 'symbolically instigated' the second intifada. Marwan Barghouti said that although Sharon's provocative actions were a rallying point for Palestinians, the Second Intifada would have erupted even had he not visited the Temple Mount. On 29 September 2000, the day after Sharon's visit, following Friday prayers, large riots broke out around
20585-419: The building, and an angry crowd of more than 1,000 Palestinians gathered in front of the station calling for their death. Both soldiers were beaten, stabbed, and disembowelled, and one body was set on fire. An Italian television crew captured the killings on video and then broadcast the tape internationally. A British journalist had his camera destroyed by rioters as he attempted to take a picture. The brutality of
20764-666: The capital of the future Palestinian state. East Jerusalem is generally recognized as part of the Palestinian Territories. In UN resolutions concerning Israel , East Jerusalem is routinely referred to as a part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. According to the Israeli Supreme Court , the Fourth Geneva Convention , which prohibits unilateral annexation of occupied territory, does not apply to East Jerusalem, as there
20943-520: The cave in the Judean Desert were covered with the boys' blood, reportedly smeared there by the killers." After a suicide bombing struck Netanya on 18 May 2001, Israel for the first time since 1967 used warplanes to attack Palestinian Authority targets in the West Bank and Gaza, killing 12 Palestinians. In the past, airstrikes had been carried out with helicopter gunships. On 1 June 2001, an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber detonated himself in
21122-657: The compound was to assert the right of all Israelis to visit the Temple Mount; however, according to Likud spokesman Ofir Akunis , the actual purpose was to "show that under a Likud government [the Temple Mount] will remain under Israeli sovereignty." Ehud Barak in the Camp David negotiations had insisted that East Jerusalem, where the Haram was located, would remain under complete Israeli sovereignty. In response to accusations by Ariel Sharon of government readiness to concede
21301-450: The creation of a transitional government. In response to the announcement, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu warned that the Authority must choose whether it wants "peace with Israel or peace with Hamas". From the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1993 until the death of Yasser Arafat in late 2004, only one election had taken place. All other elections were deferred for various reasons. A single election for president and
21480-402: The death of Muhammad al-Durrah , a Palestinian boy shot dead while sheltering behind his father in an alley in the Gaza Strip, was caught on video. Initially the boy's death and his father's wounding was attributed to Israeli soldiers. The scene assumed iconic status, as it was shown around the world and repeatedly broadcast on Arab television. The Israeli army initially assumed responsibility for
21659-441: The declaration of independence of the State of Palestine was acknowledged by the UN General Assembly , but it was not admitted as a member state. In the same resolution, their sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory was recognized. On 29 November 2012, the UN General Assembly passed United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19 changing Palestine's observer status at the UN from "entity" to "non-member state" by
21838-704: The demonstrations escalated into clashes with the Israeli police involving rock-throwing , firebombing , and live-fire. Policemen used tear-gas and opened fire with rubber-coated bullets and later live ammunition in some instances, many times in contravention of police protocol governing riot-dispersion. This use of live ammunition was directly linked with many of the deaths by the Or Commission . On 8 October, thousands of Jewish Israelis participated in violent acts in Tel Aviv and elsewhere, some throwing stones at Arabs, destroying Arab property and chanting "Death to
22017-503: The efforts of President Abbas to reform the security services and fight against terrorism [...] If we are waiting for President Abbas to fight terrorism, he cannot do it with the resources he has now. [...] We will give the Palestinian Authority technical help by sending equipment, training people. We will give the Palestinian Authority helicopters and also communication equipment." The Palestinian Authority became responsible for civil administration in some rural areas, as well as security in
22196-426: The entire strip while Israel continued to control the crossing points , airspace, and the waters of the Gaza Strip's coast. In the Palestinian legislative elections on 25 January 2006, Hamas emerged victorious and nominated Ismail Haniyeh as the Authority's Prime Minister. However, the national unity Palestinian government effectively collapsed, when a violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah erupted, mainly in
22375-506: The establishment of a timetable for ending the Israeli occupation in the West Bank. The application would be made on 15 September 2014, following an Arab League meeting on 5 September at which support for the move would be requested. Unless a timetable was established, the Palestinian leadership said it would apply to the International Criminal Court where it would hold Israel responsible for its actions not only in
22554-413: The evacuation of its settlements and the withdrawal of its troops take no account of the fact that Israel retains effective control over Gaza by means of its control over Gaza's external borders, airspace, territorial waters, population registry, tax revenues and governmental functions. The effectiveness of this control is emphasized by regular military incursions and rocket attacks. The political status of
22733-466: The first day of Ramadan , Israel eased restrictions on the passage of goods and fuel through the Karni crossing . That same day, the Jerusalem settlement of Gilo came under Palestinian heavy machine gun fire from Beit Jala . Israel tightened restrictions a week later, and Palestinians continued to clash with the IDF and Israeli settlers, with a total of 51 Palestinians and 8 Israelis killed in December. In
22912-411: The first few days of riots, the IDF fired approximately 1.3 million bullets. According to Amnesty International the early Palestinian casualties were those taking part in demonstrations or bystanders. Amnesty further states that approximately 80% of the Palestinians killed during the first month were in demonstrations where Israeli security services lives were not in danger. On 30 September 2000,
23091-496: The first time, most ministries were headed by experts in their field as opposed to political appointees. The presidential mandate of Mahmoud Abbas expired in 2009 and he is no longer recognised by Hamas, among others, as the legitimate Palestinian leader. According to Palestinian documents leaked to the Al Jazeera news organization, the United States has threatened to cut off funding to the Palestinian Authority should there be
23270-478: The first year of the Intifada states: Palestinian Authority The Palestinian Authority , officially known as the Palestinian National Authority or the State of Palestine , is the Fatah -controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over the Palestinian enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as a consequence of the 1993–1995 Oslo Accords . The Palestinian Authority controlled
23449-458: The former British Mandate for Palestine that have been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967. These territories make up the State of Palestine , which was self-declared by the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1988 and is recognized by 146 out of 193 UN member states . The International Court of Justice (ICJ) employed the term Occupied Palestinian Territory in its advisory opinion of July 2004, titled "Legal Consequences of
23628-536: The government and on 15 June 2007 appointed Salam Fayyad Prime Minister to form a new government. Though the new government's authority is claimed to extend to all Palestinian territories, in effect it became limited to the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of the West Bank , as Hamas hasn't recognized the move. The Fayyad government has won widespread international support. Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia said in late June 2007 that
23807-449: The government is still in force. On 7–8 February 2016, Fatah and Hamas held talks in Doha , Qatar in an attempt to implement the 2014 agreements. Hamas official told Al-Monitor on 8 March, that the talks did not succeed and that discussions continued between the two movements. He also said that the foreign pressures on the Palestinian Authority to not implement the reconciliation terms
23986-422: The hostilities. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the " roadmap for peace " that had been proposed by the Quartet on the Middle East in 2003. Additionally, Sharon agreed to release 900 Palestinian prisoners and further stated that Israeli troops would withdraw from those parts of the West Bank that they had re-occupied while fighting Palestinian militants during the uprising. Second Intifada refers to
24165-417: The internet and engaged in an online romance with him for several months. She eventually convinced him to drive to Ramallah to meet her, where he was instead ambushed by three Palestinian gunmen and shot over fifteen times. Awana was later arrested in a massive military and police operation, and imprisoned for life. Five other Israelis were killed in January, along with eighteen Palestinians. Ariel Sharon , at
24344-407: The killing and apologised, and only retracted 2 months later, when an internal investigation cast doubt on the original version, and controversy subsequently raged as to whether indeed the IDF had fired the shots or Palestinian factions were responsible for the fatal gunshots. The "October 2000 events" refers to several days of disturbances and clashes within Israel, mostly between Arab citizens and
24523-424: The killings shocked the Israeli public, who saw it as proof of a deep-seated Palestinian hatred of Israel and Jews. In response, Israel launched a series of retaliatory air-strikes against Palestinian Authority targets in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The police station where the lynching had taken place was evacuated and destroyed in these operations. Israel later tracked down and arrested those responsible for killing
24702-491: The large post-1967 Jewish neighborhoods such as Ramot , Ramat Eshkol , French Hill and Gilo ). A few times, there were Israeli or U.S. proposals to divide East Jerusalem between Israel and the Palestinians. In the 1995 Beilin–Abu Mazen agreement , Israeli negotiators proposed Palestinian sovereignty over some Arab neighborhoods within an expanded Jerusalem that would include annexed Israeli neighborhoods and major settlement blocs . In 2000, U.S. president Bill Clinton offered
24881-436: The legislature took place in 1996. The next presidential and legislative elections were scheduled for 2001 but were delayed following the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada . Following Arafat's death, elections for the President of the Authority were announced for 9 January 2005. The PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas won 62.3% of the vote, while Dr. Mustafa Barghouti , a physician and independent candidate, won 19.8%. On 10 May 2004,
25060-408: The local population than to cope with an eventual attack from Israel. The intensity of these operations led one Brigadier General, Zvi Fogel to wonder whether Israel's military preparations would not turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. In 1995, Shimon Peres took the place of Yitzhak Rabin , who had been assassinated by Yigal Amir , a Jewish extremist opposed to the Oslo peace agreement. In
25239-480: The major cities of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip . Although the five-year interim period expired in 1999, the final status agreement has yet to be concluded despite attempts such as the 2000 Camp David Summit , the Taba Summit , and the unofficial Geneva Accords . In August 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon began his disengagement from the Gaza Strip , ceding full effective internal control of
25418-442: The maritime areas agreed to in 1995. The majority of the Dead Sea area is off-limits to Palestinian use, and Palestinians are denied access to its coastline. Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005. The Hamas takeover of Gaza in 2007 divided the Palestinian territories politically. Abbas's Fatah largely ruled the West Bank and was recognized internationally as the official Palestinian (National) Authority. In 2009,
25597-476: The morning of 26 February 2024, the entire Palestinian government, including Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh , resigned from office, amid popular opposition to the Palestinian Authority and pressure from the United States during the Israel–Hamas war . The Palestinian Territories refers to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem). The Palestinian Authority currently administers some 39% of
25776-421: The name "State of Palestine" with Mahmoud Abbas as its current leader. It was noted that there was no legal impediment to using the designation 'Palestine' to refer to the geographical area of the Palestinian territory. It was also explained that there was also no bar to the continued use of the term "Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem" or such other terminology as might customarily be used by
25955-579: The national consensus government and continues to control the crossings. Should Hamas continue down this path, we have to go to the polls immediately and let the people choose who they want to rule". The UN has permitted the PLO to title its representative office to the UN as "The Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations", and Palestine has started to re-title its name accordingly on postal stamps, official documents and passports, whilst it has instructed its diplomats to officially represent 'The State of Palestine', as opposed to
26134-495: The number of seats from 88 to 132. The Chairman of the PLO, Yasser Arafat , was elected as President of PA in a landslide victory at the general election in 1996. Arafat's administration was criticized for its lack of democracy, widespread corruption among officials, and the division of power among families and numerous governmental agencies with overlapping functions. Both Israel and the US declared they lost trust in Arafat as
26313-853: The occupying power) by most international legal and political bodies, the rest of the Arab bloc, the UK, including the EU, the United States (before President Trump), both the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, the Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the Israeli Supreme Court (in a decision regarding
26492-443: The offices of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. Since 9 January 2009, when Mahmoud Abbas' term as president was supposed to have ended and elections were to have been called, Hamas supporters and many in the Gaza Strip have withdrawn recognition for his presidency and instead consider Aziz Dweik , the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council , to be the acting president until new elections can be held. The State of Palestine
26671-435: The other. There were five principal obstacles to agreement: borders and territorial contiguity, Jerusalem and the Temple Mount , Palestinian refugees and their right of return , Israeli security concerns and Israeli settlements. Disappointment at the situation over the summer led to a significant fracturing of the PLO as many Fatah factions abandoned it to join Hamas and Islamic Jihad. On 13 September 2000, Yasser Arafat and
26850-410: The parties, he protested to Barak that the ratio of Palestinians and Israelis killed and wounded on one day were such that he could not convince anyone the Palestinians were the aggressors. He also told Barak that "continu(ing) to fire from helicopters on people throwing rocks" and refusing an international inquiry was tantamount to rejecting Arafat's offer to participate in trilateral negotiations. During
27029-543: The permanent status of Gaza and the West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but have been derailed by the al-Aqsa Intifada that began in September 2000. In 2003, the Israeli government issued a plan for total withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of the northern West Bank by late 2005. This became known as the Disengagement Plan . The Palestinian Authority welcomed this plan, but declared that until final status, it would still consider
27208-423: The phased withdrawal of its forces from parts of the Gaza Strip and West Bank , and affirmed the Palestinian right to self-government within those areas through the creation of a Palestinian Authority . For their part, the Palestine Liberation Organization formally recognised Israel and committed to adopting responsibility for internal security in population centres in the areas evacuated. Palestinian self-rule
27387-415: The political entity but continues to use Occupied Palestinian Territory to describe the physical territory. The European Union (EU) also uses the term Occupied Palestinian Territory. The government of Israel and its supporters refer to these areas as "disputed territories". The Gaza Strip and the West Bank were occupied by Egypt and Jordan , respectively, since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War until
27566-690: The primary legal instruments of the International Criminal Court ), Article 8, section (2)(b)(viii): "The transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies, or the deportation or transfer of all or parts of the population of the occupied territory within or outside this territory" see:. Given that United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19 upgraded Palestine to non-member observer state status in November 2012, representatives of Palestine may now be able to take members of
27745-488: The prominent features of the Intifada and mainly targeted Israeli civilians. With a combined casualty figure for combatants and civilians, the violence is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis, as well as 64 foreign nationals. The Second Intifada had ended with the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit of 2005 , as Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon agreed to take definitive steps to de-escalate
27924-432: The result of concessions made by Israel following the Oslo Accords , and Arafat's War , after the late Palestinian leader whom some blamed for starting it. Others have named what they consider disproportionate response to what was initially a popular uprising by unarmed demonstrators as the reason for the escalation of the Intifada into an all-out war. Under the Oslo Accords , signed in 1993 and 1995, Israel committed to
28103-440: The right to sue for control of their claimed territory in the International Court of Justice and to bring war-crimes charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court . Customary international law, including the International Court of Justice's interpretation of the Fourth Geneva Convention in their July 2004 ruling, has been widely interpreted as prohibiting Israel from building settlements, due to its clauses prohibiting
28282-478: The scene with him. Critics claim that Sharon knew that the visit could trigger violence, and that the purpose of his visit was political. According to one observer, Sharon, in walking on the Temple Mount, was "skating on the thinnest ice in the Arab-Israeli conflict." According to The New York Times , many in the Arab world, including Egyptians, Palestinians, Lebanese and Jordanians, point to Sharon's visit as
28461-559: The sea for Gaza within 20 nautical miles from the shore. In the context of the Gaza–Israel conflict , the Berlin Commitment of 2002 reduced this to 12 miles (19 km). In October 2006, Israel imposed a 6-mile limit, and at the conclusion of the 2008–2009 Gaza War restricted access to a 3-nautical-mile limit, beyond which a no-go zone exists. As a result, in 2012 more than 3,000 Palestinian fishermen were denied access to 85% of
28640-455: The simmering Syrian civil war . Since late August 2012, Palestinian National Authority has been swept with social protests aiming against the cost of living. The protesters targeted the Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad, calling for his resignation. Some anti-government protests turned violent. On 11 September, Palestinian prime minister issued a decree on lowering the fuel prices and cutting salaries of top officials. In July 2012, it
28819-526: The site to the Palestinians, the Israeli government gave Sharon permission to visit the area. When alerted of his intentions, senior Palestinian figures, such as Yasser Arafat , Saeb Erekat , and Faisal Husseini , all asked Sharon to call off his visit. Ten days earlier the Palestinians had observed their annual memorial day for the Sabra and Shatila massacre , where thousands of Lebanese and Palestinian Muslims were massacred by Lebanese Forces supported by
28998-401: The sites of former Jewish communities that had existed there prior to 1947 on land that was legitimately bought, and ethnically cleansed by Arab forces. Israel views the territory as being the subject of legitimate diplomatic dispute and negotiation under international law. East Jerusalem , captured in 1967, was unilaterally annexed by Israel. The UN Security Council Resolution 478 condemned
29177-414: The soldiers. Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians increased sharply on 1 November, when three Israeli soldiers and six Palestinians were killed, and four IDF soldiers and 140 Palestinians were wounded. In subsequent days, casualties increased as the IDF attempted to restore order, with clashes occurring every day in November. A total of 122 Palestinians and 22 Israelis were killed. On 27 November,
29356-511: The territories has been the subject of negotiations between Israel and the PLO and of numerous statements and resolutions by the United Nations. (See List of United Nations resolutions concerning Israel .) Since 1994, the autonomous Palestinian National Authority has exercised various degrees of control in large parts of the territories, as a result of the Declaration of Principles contained in
29535-626: The time from the Likud party, ran against Ehud Barak from the Labour party . Sharon was elected Israeli Prime Minister 6 February 2001 in the 2001 special election to the Prime Ministership . Sharon refused to meet in person with Yasser Arafat. Violence in March resulted in the deaths of 8 Israelis, mostly civilians, and 26 Palestinians. In Hebron , a Palestinian sniper killed ten-month-old Israeli baby Shalhevet Pass . The murder shocked
29714-616: The time, Abu Qteish, was later indicted by Israel for using a loud-speaker to call on Palestinians to defend Al-Aqsa, which action Israeli authorities claimed was responsible for the subsequent stone-throwing in the direction of the Wailing Wall. Israeli police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, while protesters hurled stones and other projectiles, injuring 25 policemen, of whom one was seriously injured and had to be taken to hospital. At least three Palestinians were wounded by rubber bullets. The stated purpose for Sharon's visit of
29893-422: The transfer of a civilian population into an occupied territory. This was reaffirmed 5 December 2001, at the Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention. The participating High Contracting Parties called upon Israel "to fully and effectively respect the Fourth Geneva Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and to refrain from perpetrating any violation of
30072-411: The unity government because it views Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Palestinian unity government first convened in Gaza on 9 October 2014 to discuss the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict . On 30 November 2014, Hamas declared that the unity government had ended with the expiration of the six-month term. But Fatah subsequently denied the claim, and said that
30251-515: The uprising, the IDF had fired one million rounds of ammunition. During the first few weeks of the uprising, the ratio of Palestinians to Israelis killed was around 20 to 1. Israeli security forces engaged in gunfights, targeted killings , tank attacks, and airstrikes; Palestinians engaged in gunfights, stone-throwing , and rocket attacks . The approximate 138 suicide bombings carried out by Palestinian militant factions after March 2001 became one of
30430-405: The validity of some of the claims of both sides. One compromise offered by Clinton would have allowed Israel to keep some settlements in the West Bank, especially those in large blocks near the pre-1967 borders of Israel. In return, Palestinians would have received concessions of land in other parts of the country. The United Nations did not declare any change in the status of the territories as of
30609-446: Was a violation of international law (the Fourth Geneva Convention ). The United Nations never explicitly recognized Jerusalem as part of either Israel or Palestine, as Resolution 181 (1947) was never revoked. In Resolution 181, Jerusalem was intended to become a corpus separatum under international regime. Most countries do not recognize either West Jerusalem or Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as
30788-948: Was also made part of the Israeli Jerusalem municipality in its entirety. East Jerusalem residents became Israeli residents with blue Israeli ID cards. In 1980, the Knesset elevated the issue of the unity of Jerusalem to constitutional status by enacting Basic Law: Jerusalem the Capital of Israel , an act which was condemned by much of the world community, the few, mainly Latin American, embassies maintained in west Jerusalem promptly moving to Tel Aviv . Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem lacks international recognition by any country. Seven UNSC resolutions, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 declared it "null and void" and required that it be rescinded, stating that it
30967-521: Was created by the Gaza–Jericho Agreement , pursuant to the 1993 Oslo Accords . The Gaza–Jericho Agreement was signed on 4 May 1994 and included Israeli withdrawal from the Jericho area and partially from the Gaza Strip, and detailed the creation of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Civil Police Force . The PA was envisioned as an interim organization to administer a limited form of Palestinian self-governance in
31146-459: Was excluded from the Accords. Negotiations with several Israeli governments had resulted in the Authority gaining further control of some areas, but control was then lost in some areas when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) retook several strategic positions during the Second ("Al-Aqsa") Intifada . In 2005, after the Second Intifada, Israel withdrew unilaterally from its settlements in the Gaza Strip , thereby expanding Palestinian Authority control to
31325-456: Was formally announced in Cairo, and was co-ordinated under the mediation of Egypt's new intelligence director Murad Muwafi . The deal came amidst an international campaign for statehood advanced by the Abbas administration, which is expected to culminate in a request for admission into the General Assembly as a member state in September. As part of the deal, the two factions agreed to hold elections in both territories within twelve months of
31504-419: Was laden with weaponry. The Israeli investigation that followed said that the shipment had been purchased by Ahmed Jibril 's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC). The ship's value and that of its cargo was estimated at $ 10 million. The crew was reportedly planning to unload the cargo of weapons-filled barrels—carefully sealed and waterproofed along with their contents—at
31683-413: Was no "legitimate sovereign" recognised by Israel and its allies previously exercising control over the territory. In Israel, there has always been large support for retaining all of Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty, although opinions differ regarding the large number of outlying Palestinian villages and neighbourhoods annexed to Jerusalem beyond "core" East Jerusalem (the Old City , Sheikh Jarrah and
31862-408: Was reported that Hamas Government in Gaza was considering to declare the independence of the Gaza Strip with the help of Egypt. On 23 April 2014 Ismail Haniyeh , the prime minister of Hamas, and a senior Palestine Liberation Organisation delegation dispatched by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas signed the Fatah–Hamas Gaza Agreement at Gaza City in an attempt to create reconciliation in
32041-412: Was to last for a five-year interim period during which a permanent agreement would be negotiated. However, the realities on the ground left both sides deeply disappointed with the Oslo process. Palestinian freedom of movement reportedly worsened from 1993 to 2000. Israelis and Palestinians have blamed each other for the failure of the Oslo peace process. In the five years immediately following the signing of
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