The West Bank is a land-locked area sealed off by Israel to its north, south and west; and Jordan to the East. It was entirely occupied by Israel in 1967 (including East Jerusalem), with over 200 settlements illegal built today supporting a total Jewish population of over 600.000. Israel has further annexed thousands of hectares of Palestinian to build houses, checkpoints, roadblocks, and Jewish only access roads to fragment Palestinian areas and to control it. Moreover, Israel’s planned 712 km Israeli separation “Barrier” – 85% of which constructed on occupied Palestinian land totaling nearly 10% of the West Bank – further fragments the West Bank, cuts off Palestinian communities from their farmlands, and severely curtails Palestinian freedom of movement and right to work, education and medical care. Overall, the West Bank now effectively comprises 165 non-contiguous and dis-connected areas, with the Palestinian Authority in control over about 18% (mainly the concentrated urban areas) and partially in a further 22% (rural areas). In total Israeli settlements (and their regional councils) control 40% of the West Bank. The International Court of Justice has ruled the barrier unlawful, and a host of UN resolutions and overall body of humanitarian and occupation law have maintained the occupation of the West Bank and the building of settlements are illegal. The total unemployment rate in the West Bank is nearly 20%, and for adults under 30 it is 40%

 

Watch the MENARA Infographic

Read the MENARA Working Paper “Palestine and the Arab–Israeli Conflict: 100 Years of Regional Relevance and International Failure”