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158-631: Palestine , officially the State of Palestine , is a country in the southern Levant region of West Asia recognized by 146 out of 193 UN member states . It encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank , including East Jerusalem , and the Gaza Strip , collectively known as the occupied Palestinian territories , within the broader geographic and historical Palestine region . Palestine shares most of its borders with Israel , and it borders Jordan to

316-474: A Neolithic (New Stone Age). The following Chalcolithic period includes the first evidence of metallurgy with copper making its appearance. However, as stone technology remains prevalent, the name, Chalcolithic (Copper/Stone) age combines the two. Bronze is used for the following periods, but is actually a misnomer for a good part of that time. An Early Bronze Age is divided into three major phases, Early Bronze I, II and III, but copper and not bronze

474-398: A blockade , restrictions on movement , Israeli settlements and settler violence , as well as an overall poor security situation. The questions of Palestine's borders , the legal and diplomatic status of Jerusalem , and the right of return of Palestinian refugees remain unsolved. Despite these challenges, the country maintains an emerging economy and sees frequent tourism . Arabic

632-632: A civil war broke out, and the plan was not implemented. The 1948 Palestine war saw the forcible displacement of most of its predominantly Arab population, and consequently the establishment of Israel, in what Palestinians call the Nakba . In the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip , which had been held by Jordan and Egypt respectively. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) declared independence in 1988. In 1993,

790-547: A hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSh) with mild winters and dry hot summers. Spring arrives around March–April and the hottest months are July and August, with the average high being 33 °C (91 °F). The coldest month is January with temperatures usually at 7 °C (45 °F). Rain is scarce and generally falls between November and March, with annual precipitation rates approximately at 4.57 inches (116 mm). Palestine does not have officially recognized national parks or protected areas. However, there are areas within

948-692: A sovereign state . Southern Levant Like much of Southwestern Asia , the Southern Levant is an arid region consisting mostly of desert and dry steppe , with a thin strip of wetter, temperate climate along the Mediterranean coast. Geographically it is dominated by the Jordan Valley , a section of the Great Rift Valley bisecting the region from north to south, and containing the Sea of Galilee ,

1106-583: A 1948 law amended for the purpose, this purported annexation being constitutionally reaffirmed (by implication) in Basic Law: Jerusalem 1980 , but this annexation is not recognised by any other country. In 2010 of the 456,000 people in East Jerusalem, roughly 60% were Palestinians and 40% were Israelis. However, since the late 2000s, Israel's West Bank Security Barrier has effectively re-annexed tens of thousands of Palestinians bearing Israeli ID cards to

1264-687: A Jewish homeland. In response to the White Paper, the Zionist community in Palestine organized a strike in 1939, rallying against the restrictions on Jewish immigration and land acquisition. This anti-White Paper strike involved demonstrations, civil disobedience, and a shutdown of businesses. Supported by various Zionist organizations, including the Jewish Agency and the Histadrut (General Federation of Jewish Labor),

1422-620: A Semitic toponym for the general area dating back to the late second millennium BCE., a reflex of which is also to be found in the Biblical ethnonym Philistines . The term "Palestine" has been used to refer to the area at the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea beside Syria . In the 5th century BCE., in his work The Histories Herodotus used the term to describe a "district of Syria, called Palaistine" in which Phoenicians interacted with other maritime peoples. This article uses

1580-478: A final status agreement with the Palestinians. The Camp David Summit in 2000 aimed to resolve the remaining issues but concluded without a comprehensive agreement, serving as a milestone in the peace process. A peace summit between Yasser Arafat and Ehud Barak was mediated by Bill Clinton in 2000. It was supposed to be the final agreement ending conflict officially forever. However the agreement failed to address

1738-599: A more hardline position from exile in Tunis . Since Arafat's death, he is formally head of Fatah's political bureau and chairman, but his actual political following within Fatah appears limited. He has at times openly challenged the legitimacy of Abbas and harshly criticized both him and Mohammed Dahlan , but despite threats to splinter the movement, he remains in his position, and his challenges have so far been fruitless. Another influential veteran, Hani al-Hassan , has also openly criticized

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1896-754: A multinational force – to exile in Tunis . Despite the exile, many Fatah commanders and fighters remained in Lebanon, and they faced the War of the Camps in the 1980s in their fight with the Shia Amal Movement and also in connection with internal schisms within the Palestinian factions. In the 1993–1995 Oslo Accords , Fatah, as part of the PLO , made some interim agreements with Israel, including recognition of Israel by

2054-405: A number of militant groups since its founding. Its mainstream military branch is al-'Asifah . Fatah is generally considered to have had a strong involvement in terrorism in the past, though unlike its rival Islamist faction Hamas , Fatah is no longer regarded as a terrorist organization by any government. Fatah used to be designated terrorist under Israeli law and was considered terrorist by

2212-533: A rescue effort. PLO cross-border raids against Israel grew somewhat during the late 1970s. One of the most severe – known as the Coastal Road massacre  – occurred on 11 March 1978. A force of nearly a dozen Fatah fighters landed their boats near a major coastal road connecting the city of Haifa with Tel Aviv-Yafo . There they hijacked a bus and sprayed gunfire inside and at passing vehicles, killing thirty-seven civilians. In response,

2370-535: A significant loss of life and escalating tensions in the occupied territories. 1990 witnessed the imposition of strict measures by the Israeli government, including curfews and closures, in an attempt to suppress the Intifada and maintain control over the occupied territories. The 1990–1991 Gulf War brought increased attention to conflict, leading to heightened diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful resolution. Saddam Hussein

2528-604: A significant step towards self-governance. Israel acknowledged the PLO negotiating team as "representing the Palestinian people", in return for the PLO recognizing Israel's right to exist in peace, acceptance of UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 , and its rejection of "violence and terrorism". As a result, in 1994 the PLO established the Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) territorial administration, that exercises some governmental functions in parts of

2686-514: A splinter group of Fatah. In November 1971, the group assassinated Jordanian prime minister Wasfi al-Tal as retaliation to Abu Ali Iyad's execution. In the 1960s and the 1970s, Fatah provided training to a wide range of European, Middle Eastern, Asian, and African militant and insurgent groups, and carried out numerous attacks against Israeli targets in Western Europe and the Middle East during

2844-629: A state of its own and instead, together with Transjordan , Egypt, and the other members of the Arab League of the time, commenced military action resulting in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War . During the war, Israel gained additional territories that were designated to be part of the Arab state under the UN plan. Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip , and Transjordan occupied and then annexed the West Bank . Egypt initially supported

3002-456: Is "the region formerly identified as Syria-Palestine and including Canaan ." Many scholars studying the region's archaeology have adopted the term Levant (including northern and southern halves) as the "term of choice" due to it being a "wider, yet relevant, cultural corpus" that does not have the "political overtones" of Syria-Palestine. A survey of North American dissertations shows the "overwhelming emphasis and scope of these works has been

3160-494: Is also part of the axis of resistance. Even before emergence of Iranian-backed group , Iraq was a strong supporter of Palestine when it was under the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein . Turkey is a supporter of Hamas and Qatar has been a key-financial supporter and host Hamas leaders. India was the first non-Arab country to reject the UN partition plan and officially recognized

3318-538: Is among the most extensively excavated regions in the world. The Southern Levant is amongst the oldest inhabited parts of Eurasia, being on one of three plausible routes by which early hominins could have dispersed out of Africa (along with the Bab al Mandab and the Strait of Gibraltar ). Homo erectus left Africa and became the first hominin species to colonise Europe and Asia approximately two million years ago, probably via

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3476-591: Is combination of several political parties. These should be distinguished from the President of the Palestinian National Authority , Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and PNA Cabinet , all of which are instead associated with the Palestinian National Authority . The State of Palestine's founding document is the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, and it should be distinguished from

3634-577: Is divided in three regions, namely the Mount Nablus ( Jabal Nablus ), the Hebron Hills and Jerusalem Mountains ( Jibal al–Quds ). The Samarian Hills and Judean Hills are mountain ranges in the West Bank, with Mount Nabi Yunis at a height of 1,030 metres (3,380 ft) in Hebron Governorate as their highest peak. Until 19th century, Hebron was highest city in the Middle East. While Jerusalem

3792-589: Is followed by a Mamluk period after the conquering power. In 1516–17 the Ottoman Empire conquered the region and gave its name to the period that lasted until 1917–18, when the British conquered it in World War I . Fatah Fatah ( / ˈ f ɑː t ə , f ə ˈ t ɑː / FAH -tə, fə- TAH ; Arabic : فتح , romanized :  Fatḥ , Palestinian pronunciation: [ˈfʌtɑħ] ), formally

3950-634: Is followed by the Roman period, with an Early and Late Roman sub-period. The 4th century is recognised as the beginning of the Byzantine period, that lasted until the Arab conquest of the region. The following period is known as Early Arab and sub-periods by the names of reigning dynasties. The Crusader conquest of the region is known, appropriately as the Crusader period , which in part overlaps with Ayyubid rule, and it

4108-620: Is generally broken down into two sub-periods, Middle Bronze IIa and Middle Bronze IIb. Some scholars acknowledge a Middle Bronze III. The next period is known as Late Bronze and is often sub-divided into Late Bronze I and II. The introduction of iron , although relatively rare, especially in the earliest phases, caused the following phase to be named the Iron Age . It is variously sub-divided into Iron I, Iron II and sometimes Iron III, with subdivisions becoming increasingly popular as sequences become better known. Some archaeologists suggest that there in

4266-435: Is just holding its first general congress in two decades. Because of this, the movement remains largely dominated by aging cadres from the pre-Oslo era of Palestinian politics. Several of them gained their positions through the patronage of Yasser Arafat, who balanced above the different factions, and the era after his death in 2004 has seen increased infighting among these groups, who jockey for influence over future development,

4424-694: Is located on a plateau in the central highlands and is surrounded by valleys. The territory consists of fertile valleys, such as the Jezreel Valley and the Jordan River Valley . Palestine is home to world's largest olive tree, located in Jerusalem. Around 45% of Palestine's land is dedicated to growing olive trees. Palestine features significant lakes and rivers that play a vital role in its geography and ecosystems. The Jordan River flows southward, forming part of Palestine's eastern border and passing through

4582-574: Is sometimes called " Assyrian " and the following period is universally known as the Persian period. The 333 BCE conquest of the region by Alexander the Great is accepted as the beginning of the Hellenistic period. The Deuterocanonical book 2 Maccabees records: "Apollonius the son of Tharseas, who at that time was governor of Celesyria and Phenicia", Celesyria being the transliteration of Coele-Syria . It

4740-586: Is the official language of the country. While the majority of Palestinians practice Islam , Christianity also has a presence . Palestine is also a member of several international organizations , including the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation . It has been a non-member observer state of the United Nations since 2012. The term "Palestine" (in Latin, Palæstina ) comes via ancient Greek from

4898-574: Is under Hamas rule). East Jerusalem (comprising the small pre-1967 Jordanian eastern-sector Jerusalem municipality together with a significant area of the pre-1967 West Bank demarcated by Israel in 1967) is administered as part of the Jerusalem District of Israel but is claimed by Palestine as part of the Jerusalem Governorate . It was effectively annexed by Israel in 1967, by application of Israeli law, jurisdiction and administration under

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5056-654: Is used in religious discourse to signify the Islamic expansion in the first centuries of Islamic history – as in Fatḥ al-Shām , the "conquering of the Levant ". Fatḥ also has religious significance in that it is the name of the 48th sura (chapter) of the Quran which, according to major Muslim commentators, details the story of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah . During the peaceful two years after

5214-486: The 1939 White Paper by the British government aimed to address escalating tensions between Arabs and Jews in Palestine. This policy document imposed restrictions on Jewish immigration and land purchases, with the intention to limit the establishment of a Jewish state. Met with strong opposition from the Zionist movement, the White Paper was perceived as a betrayal of the Balfour Declaration and Zionist aspirations for

5372-725: The Cairo University (1952–1956), whilst another co-founder, Khaled Yashruti , then a 22-year-old student, was the GUPS head in Beirut. Upon founding, Arafat summoned Mahmud Abbas (who was residing in Qatar , then a British protectorate) to join. The group of Gulf-based young Palestinian professionals were the core of Fatah in its early days of existence. Fatah espoused a Palestinian nationalist ideology in which Palestinian Arabs would be liberated by their own actions. Immediately after its establishment

5530-511: The Cisjordan and Transjordan . The Huleh basin feeds into the upper Jordan, which moves southward through a natural basalt barrier into the Sea of Galilee before dropping several hundred metres as it flows through the Jordan Valley . The Jordan River terminates at the Dead Sea , whose banks, at 400 metres (1,300 feet) below sea level, are the world's lowest point on dry land. The archaeology of

5688-574: The Government of Palestine . Situated between three continents, the region of Palestine has a tumultuous history as a crossroads for religion, culture, commerce, and politics. The region was among the earliest to see human habitation, agricultural communities and civilization . In the Bronze Age , the Canaanites established city-states influenced by surrounding civilizations, among them Egypt, which ruled

5846-554: The Jordan River and the Dead Sea – the lowest point on the Earth's land surface. The Southern Levant has a long history and is one of the areas of the world most intensively investigated by archaeologists. It is considered likely to be the first place that both early hominins and modern humans colonised outside of Africa. Consequently, it has a rich Stone Age archaeology, stretching back as early as 1.5 million years ago. With one of

6004-507: The Ottoman Empire , where it set up Mandatory Palestine under the auspices of the League of Nations . During this period, large-scale Jewish immigration allowed by the British authorities led to increased tensions and violence with the local Palestinian Arab population. In 1947, Britain handed the issue to the United Nations, which proposed a partition plan , for two independent Arab and Jewish states and an independent entity for Jerusalem , but

6162-568: The Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank through its president. Fatah is also active in the control of Palestinian refugee camps . The full name of the movement is Ḥ arakat al- T aḥrīr al-Waṭanī l- F ilasṭīnī , meaning the "Palestinian National Liberation Movement". From this was crafted the inverted and reverse acronym Fatḥ (generally rendered in English as Fatah ), meaning "opening", "conquering", or "victory". The word fatḥ

6320-570: The Palestinian National Liberation Movement ( حركة التحرير الوطني الفلسطيني , Ḥarakat at-Taḥrīr al-Waṭanī l-Filasṭīnī ), is a Palestinian nationalist and social democratic political party. It is the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the second-largest party in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Mahmoud Abbas , the President of

6478-687: The Persian Gulf States , especially Kuwait (then a British protectorate) where the founders Salah Khalaf , Khalil al-Wazir , Yasser Arafat resided. The founders had studied in Cairo or Beirut and had been refugees in Gaza . Salah Khalaf and Khalil al-Wazir were official members of the Muslim Brotherhood . Yasser Arafat had previously been head of the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS) at

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6636-514: The Rift Valley , and less than 50 millimetres (2.0 inches) in the eastern deserts and the Negev . Across the region, precipitation is both highly seasonal―most rain falls between October and May, and hardly any in the summer—and subject to large, unpredictable inter-annual variation. Temperature is also highly variable, with cool winters and hot summers. The Jordan River bisects much of the region into

6794-611: The Sea of Galilee before reaching the Dead Sea. According to Christian traditions, it is site of the baptism of Jesus . The Dead Sea , bordering the country's east is the lowest point on the earth. Jericho , located nearby, is the lowest city in the world. Villages and suburban areas around Jerusalem are home to ancient water bodies. There are several river valleys ( wadi ) across the country. These waterways provide essential resources for agriculture and recreation while supporting various ecosystems. Three terrestrial ecoregions are found in

6952-550: The Socialist International and has "Observer Party" status within the Party of European Socialists . The November 1959 edition of Fatah's underground journal Filastinuna Nida al-Hayat indicated that the movement was motivated by the status of the Palestinian refugees in the Arab world: Armed struggle – as manifested in the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine and the military role of Palestinian fighters under

7110-420: The Syrian -backed Palestinian factions of as-Sa'iqa and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC) led by Ahmad Jibril to fight alongside the Christian forces against the PLO and the LNM. The primary component of the Christian militias was the Maronite Phalangists . Phalangist forces killed twenty-six Fatah trainees on a bus in April 1975, marking the official start of

7268-418: The Uganda–Tanzania War . Members of the organization fought alongside the Uganda Army and Libyan troops against the Tanzania People's Defence Force during the Battle of Lukaya and the Fall of Kampala , but were eventually forced to retreat from the country. Since the death of Eljamal in 1968, the Palestinian cause had a large base of supporters in Lebanon. Although hesitant at first to take sides in

7426-644: The United States Department of State and United States Congress until it renounced terrorism in 1988. Fatah has, since its inception, created, led or sponsored a number of armed groups and militias, some of which have had an official standing as the movement's armed wing, and some of which have not been publicly or even internally recognized as such. The group has also dominated various PLO and Palestinian Authority forces and security services which were/are not officially tied to Fatah, but in practice have served as wholly pro-Fatah armed units, and been staffed largely by members. The original name for Fatah's armed wing

7584-489: The West Bank and the Gaza Strip. As envisioned in the Oslo Accords, Israel allowed the PLO to establish interim administrative institutions in the Palestinian territories, which came in the form of the PNA. It was given civilian control in Area B and civilian and security control in Area A, and remained without involvement in Area C . The peace process gained opposition from both Palestinians and Israelis. Islamist militant organizations such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad opposed

7742-425: The conclusion of World War I . The failure of Emir Faisal to establish a Greater Syria in the face of French and British colonial claims to the area, also shaped Palestinian elites' efforts to secure local autonomy. In the aftermath of the war Palestine came under British control with the implementation of the British Mandate for Palestine in 1920. The defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I resulted in

7900-422: The eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea , in the world region known variously as the Near East , the Middle East or Western or Southwestern Asia . It is bordered to the east, southeast and southwest by the Syrian , Arabian and Sinai deserts, respectively. Some definitions include parts of these deserts in the region. The Litani River in southern Lebanon is commonly considered the dividing line between

8058-546: The 15-year-long Lebanese civil war. Later that year, an alliance of Christian militias overran the Palestinian refugee camp of Karantina killing over 1,000 civilians. The PLO and LNM retaliated by attacking the town of Damour , a Phalangist and Tigers (Ahrar) stronghold, killing 684 civilians. As the civil war progressed over 2 years of urban warfare, both parties resorted to massive artillery duels and heavy use of sniper nests, while atrocities and war crimes were committed by both sides. In 1976, with strategic planning help from

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8216-522: The 1970s. Some militant groups that affiliated themselves to Fatah, and some of the fedayeen within Fatah itself, carried out civilian- aircraft hijackings and terrorist attacks, attributing them to Black September, Abu Nidal 's Fatah-Revolutionary Council , Abu Musa 's group, the PFLP, and the PFLP-GC. Fatah received weapons, explosives and training from the Soviet Union and some of the communist states of East Europe . China and Algeria also provided munitions. In 1979, Fatah aided Uganda during

8374-436: The 1988 Declaration of Independence, the UN General Assembly officially acknowledged the proclamation and decided to use the designation "Palestine" instead of "Palestine Liberation Organization" in the UN. In spite of this decision, the PLO did not participate at the UN in its capacity of the State of Palestine's government. Violent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces intensified throughout 1989, resulting in

8532-421: The BBC about the difficulties of Fatah leadership: "I think it's very, very serious – it's becoming obvious that they can't agree on anything." Fatah is "widely seen as being in desperate need of reform," as "the PA's performance has been a story of corruption and incompetence – and Fatah has been tainted." In December 2005, jailed Intifada leader Marwan Barghouti broke ranks with

8690-444: The British Mandate for Palestine in 1922, entrusting Britain with the administration of the region. Throughout the 1920s, Palestine experienced growing resistance from both Jewish and Arab nationalist movements, which manifested in sporadic violence and protests against British policies. In 1929, violent riots erupted in Palestine due to disputes over Jewish immigration and access to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The 1930s witnessed

8848-430: The Central Committee and 80 for the Revolutionary Council. Six new members were added to the Central Committee while 12 were reelected. Outgoing members included Nabil Shaath, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, Zakaria al-Agha and Tayib Abdul Rahim. Its leader Abu Ashraf Al-Armoushi and his comrades were killed in the Al-Basateen neighborhood of Ain Al-Helweh camp on 30 July 2023 during a fighting. Fatah has "Member Party" status at

9006-432: The Fatah headquarters – as well as a mid-sized Palestinian refugee camp  – were located. The town's name is the Arabic word for "dignity", which elevated its symbolism to the Arab people, especially after the Arab defeat in 1967. The operation was in response to attacks against Israel, including rockets strikes from Fatah and other Palestinian militias into the occupied West Bank. Knowledge of

9164-449: The Gaza Strip and the West Bank against Israeli occupation. In November 1988, the PLO legislature, while in exile, declared the establishment of the "State of Palestine" . In the month following, it was quickly recognized by many states, including Egypt and Jordan. In the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, the State of Palestine is described as being established on the "Palestinian territory", without explicitly specifying further. After

9322-401: The Gaza Strip by destroying its settlements over there. By 2005, the situation began de-escalating. In 2006, Hamas won in Palestinian legislative elections. This led a political standoff with Fatah. Armed clashes took place across both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The clashes turned into a civil war, which ended in a bloody clashes on the Gaza Strip. As a result, Hamas gained control over all

9480-467: The Gaza Strip with the exception of its borders, airspace, and territorial waters . The division between the West Bank and Gaza complicated efforts to achieve Palestinian unity and negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel . Multiple rounds of reconciliation talks were held, but no lasting agreement was reached. The division also hindered the establishment of a unified Palestinian state and led to different governance structures and policies in

9638-511: The Gaza Strip, 11 seats filled by women (the highest number of votes went to one woman who spent years in Israeli jails for her role in the resistance), four seats went to Christians, and one was filled by a Jewish-born convert to Islam, Uri Davis , the first Jewish-born person to be elected to the Revolutionary Council since its founding in 1958. Fatah activists from the Palestinian diaspora were also represented and included Samir Rifai , Fatah's secretary in Syria, and Khaled Abu Usba. Elected to

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9796-440: The Gaza Strip. In July 1988, Jordan ceded its claims to the West Bank —with the exception of guardianship over Haram al-Sharif—to the PLO. After Israel captured and occupied the West Bank from Jordan and Gaza Strip from Egypt, it began to establish Israeli settlements there. Administration of the Arab population of these territories was performed by the Israeli Civil Administration of the Coordinator of Government Activities in

9954-444: The Holocaust. In 1946, a bombing orchestrated by the Irgun at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem resulted in the deaths of 91 people, including British officials, civilians, and hotel staff. Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir , who later became political leaders in the state of Israel, were behind these terrorist attacks. The Exodus 1947 incident unfolded when a ship carrying Jewish Holocaust survivors, who sought refuge in Palestine,

10112-423: The Hudaybiyyah treaty, many converted to Islam, increasing the strength of the Muslim side. It was the breach of this treaty by the Quraysh that triggered the conquest of Mecca . This Islamic precedent was cited by Yasser Arafat as justification for his signing the Oslo Accords with Israel. The Fatah movement was founded in 1959 by members of the Palestinian diaspora , principally by professionals working in

10270-448: The IDF launched Operation Litani three days later, with the goal of taking control of Southern Lebanon up to the Litani River . The IDF achieved this goal, and Fatah withdrew to the north into Beirut . Israel invaded Lebanon again in 1982. Beirut was soon besieged and bombarded by the IDF; to end the siege, the US and European governments brokered an agreement guaranteeing safe passage for Arafat and Fatah – guarded by

10428-600: The Israeli army's rapid withdrawal. In the late 1960s, tensions between Palestinians and the Jordanian government increased greatly; heavily armed Arab resistance elements had created a virtual "state within a state" in Jordan, eventually controlling several strategic positions in that country. After their victory in the Battle of Karameh, Fatah and other Palestinian militias began taking control of civil life in Jordan. They set up roadblocks, publicly humiliated Jordanian police forces, molested women and levied illegal taxes – all of which Arafat either condoned or ignored. In 1970,

10586-401: The Israeli military. As Israel's forces intensified their campaign, the Jordanian Army became involved, causing the Israelis to retreat in order to avoid a full-scale war. By the end of the battle, nearly 150 Fatah militants had been killed, as well as twenty Jordanian soldiers and twenty-eight Israeli soldiers. Despite the higher Arab death toll, Fatah considered themselves victorious because of

10744-469: The Israeli troops from the church. Between 2003 and 2004, people from Qawasameh tribe in Hebron were either killed or blew themselves in suicide bombing. Ariel Sharon ordered construction of barriers across Palestinian-controlled areas and Israeli settlements in the West Bank to prevent future attacks. Saddam Hussein provided financial support to Palestinian militants from Iraq during the intifada period, from 2000 until his overthrow in 2003. A peace proposal

10902-475: The Jordanian government moved to regain control over its territory, and the next day, King Hussein declared martial law . By 25 September, the Jordanian army achieved dominance in the fighting, and two days later Arafat and Hussein agreed to a series of ceasefires. The Jordanian army inflicted heavy casualties upon the Palestinians – including civilians – who suffered approximately 3,500 fatalities. Two thousand Fatah fighters managed to enter Syria . They crossed

11060-432: The Lebanese Army, the alliance of Christian militias, spearheaded by the National Liberal Party of former President Cammille Chamoun militant branch, the noumour el ahrar (NLP Tigers), took a pivotal refugee camp in the Eastern part of Beirut, the Tel al-Zaatar camp, after a six-month siege, also known as Tel al-Zaatar massacre in which hundreds perished. Arafat and Abu Jihad blamed themselves for not successfully organizing

11218-458: The Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), withdrew their forces from the town. Fatah leaders were advised by a pro-Fatah Jordanian divisional commander to withdraw their men and headquarters to nearby hills, but on Arafat's orders, Fatah remained, and the Jordanian Army agreed to back them if heavy fighting ensued. On the night of 21 March, the IDF attacked Karameh with heavy weaponry, armored vehicles and fighter jets. Fatah held its ground, surprising

11376-529: The Oslo II Accord . Area A forms 18% of the West Bank by area, and is administered by the Palestinian government. 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 , however, the Palestinian government provides

11534-576: The Oslo Years brought a great prosperity to the government-controlled areas, despite some economic issues. The Palestinian Authority built the country's second airport in Gaza, after the Jerusalem International Airport . Inaugural ceremony of the airport was attended by Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela . In 1999, Ehud Barak assumed the position of Israeli Prime Minister, renewing efforts to reach

11692-487: The PLC), and Fatah took control of the West Bank. From 2007, the Gaza Strip was governed by Hamas, and the West Bank by the Fatah party led Palestinian Authority. International efforts to revive the peace process continued. The United States, under the leadership of different administrations, made various attempts to broker negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. However, significant obstacles such as settlement expansion,

11850-564: The PLO as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" and reaffirmed "their right to establish an independent state of urgency." In November 1974, the PLO was recognized as competent on all matters concerning the question of Palestine by the UN General Assembly granting them observer status as a "non-state entity" at the UN. Through the Camp David Accords of 1979, Egypt signaled an end to any claim of its own over

12008-520: The PLO as the representative of the Palestinian people. The PLO's executive committee acts as the government, empowered by the PNC. It is full-time member of the Arab League , the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Union for the Mediterranean . Sweden took a significant step in 2013 by upgrading the status of the Palestinian representative office to a full embassy. They became the first EU member state outside

12166-551: The PLO signed the Oslo peace accords with Israel, creating limited PLO governance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip through the Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel withdrew from Gaza in its unilateral disengagement in 2005, but the territory is still considered to be under military occupation and has been blockaded by Israel. In 2007, internal divisions between political factions led to a takeover of Gaza by Hamas . Since then,

12324-501: The PLO. Until his 2004 death, Arafat headed the Palestinian National Authority , the provisional entity created as a result of those Oslo Accords. Soon after Arafat's death, Farouk Kaddoumi was elected to the post, which he continues to hold. Fatah nominated Mahmoud Abbas in the Palestinian presidential election of 2005 . In 2005, Hamas won in nearly all the municipalities it contested . Political analyst Salah Abdel-Shafi told

12482-575: The Palestinian Authority , is the chairman of Fatah. Fatah was historically involved in armed struggle against the state of Israel (as well as Jordan during the Black September conflict in 1970–1971) and maintained a number of militant groups , which carried out attacks against military targets as well as Israeli civllians, notably including the 1978 Coastal Road massacre , though the group disengaged from armed conflict against Israel around

12640-514: The Palestinian Authority. Foreign relations are maintained in the framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) represents the State of Palestine and maintains embassies in countries that recognize it. It also participates in international organizations as a member, associate, or observer. In some cases, due to conflicting sources, it is difficult to determine if

12798-613: The Palestinian government signed the Hebron Protocol , which outlined the redeployment of Israeli forces from parts of Hebron in the West Bank, granting the government greater control over the city. Israel and the Palestinian government signed the Wye River Memorandum in 1998, aiming to advance the implementation of the Oslo Accords. The agreement included provisions for Israeli withdrawals and security cooperation. The period of

12956-531: The Palestinian leadership to adopt moderate views." On 9 August 2009, new members of the Central Committee of Fatah and the Revolutionary Council were chosen. Delegates voted to fill 18 seats on the 23-seat Central Committee, and 81 seats on the 128-seat Revolutionary Council after a week of deliberations. At least 70 new members entered the latter, with 20 seats going to Fatah representatives from

13114-884: The Palestinian refugee issues, status of Jerusalem and Israeli security concerns. Both sides blamed each other for the summit failures. This became of the main triggers for the uprising that would happen next. In September 2000, then opposition leader from the Likud Party – Ariel Sharon made a proactive visit to the Temple Mount and delivered a controversial speech, which angered Palestinian Jerusalemites . The tensions escalated into riots. Bloody clashes took place around Jerusalem. Escalating violence resulted closure of Jerusalem Airport , which haven't operated till date. More and more riots between Jews and Arabs took place in October 2000 in Israel. In

13272-686: The Persian Empire in the late 330s BCE, beginning Hellenization . Though Palestinian elites, in particular urban notable families who worked within the Ottoman bureaucracy, generally retained their loyalty to the Ottomans, they also played a significant role proportionately in the rise of Arab nationalism , and the Pan-Arabic movements that arose in response to both the emergence of the Young Turks movement and

13430-652: The Southern Levant and the Northern Levant (i.e. Syria ), or sometimes the Orontes River , also in Lebanon. For the most part, the climate of the Southern Levant is arid or semi-arid , however a narrow strip along the coast experiences a temperate , Mediterranean climate due to its proximity to the sea. Average annual rainfall decreases sharply away from the coast, from over 1,000 millimetres (39 inches) per year in Galilee , to 200–400 millimetres (7.9–15.7 inches) in

13588-628: The Southern Levant. During this phase of the Pleistocene epoch the region was wetter and greener, allowing H. erectus to find places with fresh water as it followed other African animals that were dispersing out of Africa at the same time. One such location was ' Ubeidiya , on the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee , where some of the oldest hominin remains in Eurasia have been discovered, dating to between 1.2 million and 1.5 million years ago. Several Stone Ages , when stone tools prevailed and make up

13746-786: The Territories and by local municipal councils present since before the Israeli takeover. In 1980, Israel decided to freeze elections for these councils and to establish instead Village Leagues, whose officials were under Israeli influence. Later this model became ineffective for both Israel and the Palestinians, and the Village Leagues began to break up, with the last being the Hebron League, dissolved in February 1988. The first Intifada broke out in 1987, characterized by widespread protests, strikes, and acts of civil disobedience by Palestinians in

13904-725: The UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding Palestinian sovereignty over natural resources in the occupied territories. It called on Israel to cease exploitation and damage while granting Palestinians the right to seek restitution. In 1988, the State of Palestine's declaration of independence was acknowledged by the General Assembly with Resolution 43/177 . In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 67/19 , granting Palestine " non-member observer state " status, effectively recognizing it as

14062-562: The UN adopted a partition plan for a two-state solution in the remaining territory of the mandate. The plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership but rejected by the Arab leaders, and Britain refused to implement the plan. On the eve of final British withdrawal, the Jewish Agency for Israel , headed by David Ben-Gurion , declared the establishment of the State of Israel according to the proposed UN plan. The Arab Higher Committee did not declare

14220-606: The United Arab Emirates deteriorated, when it signed normalization agreement with Israel . During the Sri Lankan Civil War , the PLO provided training for Tamil rebels to fight against the Sri Lankan government . The Republic of Ireland , Venezuela and South Africa are political allies of Palestine and have strongly advocated for establishment of independent Palestine. As a result of the ongoing war , support for

14378-550: The United States generally seen as supportive of Abbas's overall leadership and of Dahlan's security influence, and Syria alleged to promote Faruq al-Qaddumi's challenge to the present leadership. The younger generations of Fatah, especially within the militant al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades , have been more prone to splits, and a number of lesser networks in Gaza and the West Bank have established themselves as either independent organizations or joined Hamas. However, such overt breaks with

14536-495: The West Bank has been governed in part by the Fatah -led PA, while the Gaza Strip has remained under the control of Hamas . Israel has constructed large settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967, where currently more than 670,000 Israeli settlers , which are illegal under international law . Currently, the biggest challenges to the country include ineffective government, Israeli occupation, Islamist factions,

14694-501: The West Bank that are considered to have ecological and cultural significance and are being managed with conservation efforts. These areas are often referred to as nature reserves or protected zones. Located near Jericho in the West Bank, Wadi Qelt is a desert valley with unique flora and fauna. The reserve is known for its rugged landscapes, natural springs, and historical sites such as the St. George Monastery . Efforts have been made to protect

14852-428: The West Bank, leaving East Jerusalem within the barrier with a small Israeli majority (60%). Under Oslo Accords, Jerusalem was proposed to be included in future negotiations and according to Israel, Oslo Accords prohibits the Palestinian Authority to operates in Jerusalem. However, certain parts of Jerusalem, those neighborhoods which are located outside the historic Old City but are part of East Jerusalem, were allotted to

15010-665: The anti-White Paper strike aimed to protest and challenge the limitations imposed by the British government. In the late 1930s and 1940s, several Zionist militant groups, including the Irgun , Hagana , and Lehi , carried out acts of violence against British military and civilian targets in their pursuit of an independent Jewish state. While the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini , collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II, not all Muslims supported his actions, and there were instances where Muslims helped rescue Jews during

15168-684: The area in the Late Bronze Age. During the Iron Age , two related Israelite kingdoms, Israel and Judah , controlled much of Palestine, while the Philistines occupied its southern coast. The Assyrians conquered the region in the 8th century BCE, then the Babylonians in c. 601 BCE, followed by the Persians who conquered the Babylonian Empire in 539 BCE. Alexander the Great conquered

15326-413: The area: Eastern Mediterranean conifer–sclerophyllous–broadleaf forests , Arabian Desert , and Mesopotamian shrub desert . Palestine has a number of environmental issues; issues facing the Gaza Strip include desertification ; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment ; water-borne diseases ; soil degradation ; and depletion and contamination of underground water resources. In the West Bank, many of

15484-572: The attack and responded by conducting attacks on civilians across Israel. In 1994, Baruch Goldstein , an Israeli extremist shot 29 people to death in Hebron, known as the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre . These events led an increase in Palestinian opposition to the peace process. Tragically, in 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir – an extremist, causing political instability in

15642-573: The basic conventions indicate a number of Stone Ages , followed by a Copper/Stone Age, in turn followed by a Bronze Age . The names given to them, derived from the Greek , are also used widely for other regions. The different ages in turn are often divided up into sequential or sometimes parallel chrono-cultural facies, sometimes called “cultures” or “periods”. Sometimes their names are derived from European prehistory , at other times from local sites, often where they were first discovered. Archaeologically, it

15800-557: The biodiversity and natural beauty of the area. The Judaean Desert is popular for "Judaean Camels". Qalqilya Zoo in Qalqilya Governorate , is the only zoo currently active in the country. Gaza Zoo was closed due to poor conditions. Israeli government have built various national parks in the Area C, which is also considered illegal under international law. Palestine operates a semi-presidential system of government. The country consists of

15958-592: The border into Lebanon to join Fatah forces in that country, where they set up their new headquarters. A large group of guerrilla fighters led by Fatah field commander Abu Ali Iyad held out the Jordanian Army's offensive in the northern city of Ajlun until they were decisively defeated in July 1971. Abu Ali Iyad was executed and surviving members of his commando force formed the Black September Organization ,

16116-488: The bulk of artifacts, are followed by periods when other technologies came into use. They lent their names to the different periods. The basic framework for the southern Levant is, as follows: Paleolithic or Old Stone Age is often divided up into phases called, from early-to-late: Lower Paleolithic , Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic. An Epipaleolithic (latest Paleolithic) period, also known as Mesolithic (transition to Neolithic) follows and is, in turn succeeded by

16274-605: The central council was Fadwa Barghouti, the wife of Marwan Barghouti who was serving five life sentences in Israel for his role in terrorist attacks on civilians in Israel during the Second Intifada . A meeting of the Revolutionary Council was held in Ramallah from 18 to 19 October 2014. Many important questions were discussed, including reconciliation with Hamas. Opinion was divided on this issue. In December 2016, more than 1400 members of Fatah's 7th Congress elected 18 members of

16432-624: The conflict, Arafat and Fatah played an important role in the Lebanese Civil War . Succumbing to pressure from PLO sub-groups such as the PFLP, DFLP and the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF), Fatah aligned itself with the communist and Nasserist Lebanese National Movement (LNM). Although originally aligned with Fatah, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad feared a loss of influence in Lebanon and switched sides. He sent his army, along with

16590-406: The country have increased. Since Israel's invasion of Gaza , many countries in support of Palestinians have officially recognized the country. This includes Armenia , Spain , Norway , The Bahamas , Jamaica , Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago . The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) declared the establishment of the State of Palestine on 15 November 1988. There is a wide range of views on

16748-475: The creation of an All-Palestine Government but disbanded it in 1959. Transjordan never recognized it and instead decided to incorporate the West Bank with its own territory to form Jordan . The annexation was ratified in 1950 but was rejected by the international community. In 1964, when the West Bank was controlled by Jordan, the Palestine Liberation Organization was established there with

16906-452: The dismantling of their rule. In 1920, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate to govern Palestine, leading to the subsequent period of British administration. In 1917, Jerusalem was captured by British forces led by General Allenby , marking the end of Ottoman rule in the city. By 1920, tensions escalated between Jewish and Arab communities, resulting in violent clashes and riots across Palestine. The League of Nations approved

17064-511: The earliest sites for urban settlements, it also corresponds to the western parts of the Fertile Crescent . The Southern Levant refers to the lower half of the Levant but there is some variance of geographical definition, with the widest definition including Israel , Palestine , Jordan , Lebanon , southern Syria and the Sinai Desert . In the field of archaeology, the southern Levant

17222-484: The east and Egypt to the southwest. It has a total land area of 6,020 square kilometres (2,320 sq mi) while its population exceeds five million people. Its proclaimed capital is Jerusalem , while Ramallah serves as its administrative center. Gaza City was its largest city prior to evacuations in 2023 . Situated at a continental crossroad , the region of Palestine was ruled by various empires and experienced various demographic changes from antiquity to

17380-401: The east, and Israel to the north, south, and west. Palestine shares its maritime borders with Israel , Egypt and Cyprus . Thus, the two enclaves constituting the area claimed by the State of Palestine have no geographical border with one another, being separated by Israel. These areas would constitute the world's 163rd largest country by land area . The West Bank is a mountainous region. It

17538-620: The education and medical services to the 150,000 Palestinians in the area, an arrangement agreed upon in the Oslo II accord by Israeli and Palestinian leadership. More than 99% of Area C is off limits to Palestinians, due to security concerns and is a point of ongoing negotiation. There are about 330,000 Israelis living in settlements in Area C. Although Area C is under martial law , Israelis living there are entitled to full civic rights . Palestinian enclaves currently under Palestinian administration in red ( Areas A and B ; not including Gaza Strip, which

17696-663: The former communist bloc to officially recognize the state of Palestine. Members of the Arab League and member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have strongly supported the country's position in its conflict with Israel . Iran have been strongest ally of Palestine since the Islamic revolution and provide military support to Palestinian fedayeen and militant groups including Hamas through its Axis of Resistance , which includes military coalition of governments and rebels from Iraq , Syria , Lebanon and Yemen . Hamas

17854-478: The future of Palestinian aspirations for statehood. The status quo remains challenging for Palestinians, with ongoing issues of occupation, settlement expansion, restricted movement, and economic hardships. The most recent outbreak of violence in the region is the Israel-Hamas war (2023–present), involving fighting between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip, with a simultaneous spillover of

18012-547: The goal to confront Israel. The Palestinian National Charter of the PLO defines the boundaries of Palestine as the whole remaining territory of the mandate, including Israel. The Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel fought against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, ended with Israel occupying the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, besides other territories. Following the Six-Day War, the PLO moved to Jordan, but later relocated to Lebanon in 1971. The October 1974 Arab League summit designated

18170-527: The government. Jerusalem including Haram ash-Sharif , is claimed as capital by Palestine, which has been under occupation by Israel . Currently the temporary administration center is in Ramallah , which is 10 km from Jerusalem. Muqata hosts state ministries and representative office. In 2000, a government building was built in Jerusalem suburb of Abu Dis , to house office of Yasser Arafat and Palestinian parliament. Since second intifada , condition of

18328-653: The institutions that are associated with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which includes President of the State of Palestine  – appointed by the Palestinian Central Council , Palestinian National Council  – the legislature that established the State of Palestine and Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization  – performs the functions of a government in exile, maintaining an extensive foreign-relations network. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

18486-409: The leadership of Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War  – was central to Fatah's initial ideology of how to liberate Palestine. Fatah's two most important decision-making bodies are the Central Committee and Revolutionary Council. The Central Committee is mainly an executive body, while the Revolutionary Council is Fatah's legislative body. Fatah has maintained

18644-506: The legal status of the State of Palestine, both among international states and legal scholars. The existence of a state of Palestine is recognized by the states that have established bilateral diplomatic relations with it. In January 2015, the International Criminal Court affirmed Palestine's "State" status after its UN observer recognition, a move condemned by Israeli leaders as a form of "diplomatic terrorism." In December 2015,

18802-501: The meeting, while another 400 from the Gaza Strip were unable to attend the conference after Hamas barred them from traveling to the West Bank . The internal dissension was immediately obvious. Saudi King Abdullah told the delegates that divisions among the Palestinians were more damaging to their cause of an independent state than the Israeli "enemy". Delegates resolved not to resume Israeli-Palestinian peace talks until 14 preconditions were met. Among these preconditions were

18960-578: The modern era. Being a bridge between Asia and Africa , it was treading ground for the Nile and Mesopotamian armies and merchants from North Africa , China and India . The region is known for its religious significance. The ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict dates back to the rise of the Zionist movement , supported by the United Kingdom during World War I . The war saw Britain occupying Palestine from

19118-530: The movement have still been rather uncommon, despite numerous rivalries inside and between competing local Fatah groups. The Sixth General Assembly of the Fatah Movement began on 4 August 2009 in Bethlehem , nearly 16 years after the Oslo I Accord and 20 years since the last Fatah convention, after being repeatedly postponed over conflicts ranging from representation to venue. More than 2,000 delegates attended

19276-520: The name of the movement was first used in Falastinuna which was the official media organ of the Fatah. Fatah became the dominant force in Palestinian politics after the Six-Day War in 1967. Fatah joined the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1967, and was allocated 33 of 105 seats in the PLO Executive Committee . Fatah's Yasser Arafat became Chairman of the PLO in 1969, after

19434-582: The operation was available well ahead of time, and the government of Jordan (as well as a number of Fatah commandos) informed Arafat of Israel's large-scale military preparations. Upon hearing the news, many guerrilla groups in the area, including George Habash 's newly formed group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Nayef Hawatmeh 's breakaway organization the Democratic Front for

19592-607: The outbreak of the Arab Revolt , as Arab nationalists demanded an end to Jewish immigration and the establishment of an independent Arab state. In response to the Arab Revolt, the British deployed military forces and implemented stringent security measures in an effort to quell the uprising. Arab nationalist groups, led by the Arab Higher Committee , called for an end to Jewish immigration and land sales to Jews. The issuance of

19750-514: The participation is on behalf of the State of Palestine, the PLO as a non-state entity, or the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The Vatican shifted recognition to the State of Palestine in May 2015, following the 2012 UN vote. This change aligned with the Holy See's evolving position. Currently, 146 UN member states (75%) recognize the State of Palestine. Though some do not recognize it, they acknowledge

19908-510: The party and announced that he had formed a new political list to run in the elections called the al-Mustaqbal ("The Future"), mainly composed of members of Fatah's "Young Guard." These younger leaders have repeatedly expressed frustration with the entrenched corruption in the party, which has been run by the "Old Guard" who returned from exile in Tunisia following the Oslo Accords . Al-Mustaqbal

20066-426: The political line, funds, and constituencies. There is concern over the succession once Abbas leaves power. There have been no open splits within the older generation of Fatah politicians since the 1980s, though there is occasional friction between members of the top leadership. One founding member, Faruq al-Qaddumi (Abu Lutf), continues to openly oppose the post-Oslo arrangements and has intensified his campaign for

20224-404: The position of Fatah Chairman and continued in the position until 2009, when Abbas was elected chairman. Since Arafat's death, factionalism within the ideologically diverse movement has become more apparent. In the 2006 election for the PLC , the party lost its majority in the PLC to Hamas . The Hamas legislative victory led to a conflict between Fatah and Hamas , with Fatah retaining control of

20382-416: The position was ceded to him by Yahya Hammuda . According to the BBC , "Mr Arafat took over as chairman of the executive committee of the PLO in 1969, a year that Fatah is recorded to have carried out 2,432 guerrilla attacks on Israel." Throughout 1968, Fatah and other Palestinian armed groups were the target of a major Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operation in the Jordanian village of Karameh , where

20540-403: The present leadership. Fatah's internal conflicts have also, due to the creation of the Palestinian Authority, merged with the turf wars between different PA security services, e.g., a longstanding rivalry between the West Bank ( Jibril Rajoub ) and Gaza (Muhammad Dahlan) branches of the powerful Preventive Security Service. Foreign backing for different factions contribute to conflict, e.g., with

20698-557: The region. The first-ever Palestinian general elections took place in 1996, resulting in Arafat's re-election as president and the formation of a Palestinian Legislative Council . Initiating the implementation of the Oslo Accords, Israel began redeploying its forces from select Palestinian cities in the West Bank in 1997. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority continued, albeit with slow progress and contentious debates on Jerusalem, settlements, and refugees in 1998. In 1997, Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and

20856-421: The release of all Israel-held Palestinian prisoners, a freeze on all Israeli settlement construction, and an end to the Gaza blockade . By affirming its option for "armed resistance" against Israel, Fatah appealed to Palestinians who wanted a more hardline response to Israel. Israeli deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon said the conference was a "serious blow to peace" and "was another lost opportunity for

21014-450: The same issues apply; although fresh water is much more plentiful, access is restricted by the ongoing dispute . Temperatures in Palestine vary widely. The climate in the West Bank is mostly Mediterranean , slightly cooler at elevated areas compared with the shoreline, west to the area. In the east, the West Bank includes much of the Judean Desert including the western shoreline of the Dead Sea, characterised by dry and hot climate. Gaza has

21172-416: The same month, two Israeli soldiers were lynched and killed in Ramallah . Between November and December clashes between Palestinians and Israelis increased further. In 2001 Taba summit was held between Israel and Palestine. But the summit failed to implement and Ariel Sharon became prime minister in the 2001 elections. By 2001, attacks from Palestinian militant groups towards Israel increased. Gaza Airport

21330-405: The southern Levant is generally conceived as a series of phases or stages in human cultural and evolutionary development based, for the most part, on tool technology for early pre-historic, proto-historic and early historic periods. Later phases are generally associated with historical periods and are named accordingly. While there is no single, accepted sequence that all archaeologists agree upon,

21488-548: The southern Levant, an area formerly identified as Syria-Palestine including Canaan", but with most modern Ph.D. dissertations using the terms 'Israel' and 'Canaan'. The term "Southern Levant" has also been criticized as imprecise and an awkward name. The term Southern Levant has been described in academic discourse as a "at least a strictly geographical" description of the region, avoiding religious and political connotations of names such as " Canaan ", " Holy Land ", " Land of Israel ", or "Palestine". The Southern Levant lies on

21646-404: The statehood declaration. Once a strong ally of Palestine , India have strengthen its ties with Israel since 1991. However India still supports the legitimacy of Palestine's issue. Muammar Gaddafi of Libya was a supporter of Palestinian independence and was sought as a mediator in the Arab–Israeli conflict, when he presented a one-state peace offer titled Isratin in 2000. Relations with

21804-418: The status of Jerusalem, borders , and the right of return for Palestinian refugees , remained unresolved. In recent years, diplomatic initiatives have emerged, including the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states , known as the Abraham Accords . These agreements, while not directly addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have reshaped regional dynamics and raised questions about

21962-402: The subsequent weakening of Ottoman power in World War 1. The onset of the Zionist movement , which sought to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine, also exercised a strong influence on Palestinian national consciousness. Abdul Hamid , the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire, opposed the Zionist movement's efforts in Palestine. The end of the Ottoman Empire's rule in Palestine coincided with

22120-416: The terms "Palestine", "State of Palestine", "occupied Palestinian territory (oPt or OPT)" interchangeably depending on context. Specifically, the term "occupied Palestinian territory" refers as a whole to the geographical area of the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967. Palestine can, depending on contexts, be referred to as a country or a state, and its authorities can generally be identified as

22278-439: The territory of Gaza. Hundreds of people were killed in the civil war, including militants and civilians. Since then Hamas has gained more independence in its military practices. Since 2007, Israel has been leading a partial blockade on Gaza. Another peace summit was organized by the Arab League in 2007, with the same offer which was presented in 2002 summit. However the peace process could not progress. The PNA gained full control of

22436-465: The time of the Oslo Accords , when it recognised Israel, which gave it limited control over the Occupied Palestinian territories . During the Second Intifada (2000–2005), Fatah intensified armed conflict against Israel, claiming responsibility for a number of suicide attacks . Fatah had been closely identified with the leadership of its founder and chairman, Yasser Arafat , until his death in 2004, when Farouk Kaddoumi constitutionally succeeded him to

22594-439: The town made this site unsuitable to operate as a capital, either temporarily or permanently. Nevertheless, the Palestinian entity have maintained their presence in the city. As few parts of the city is also under Palestinian control and many some countries have their consulates in Jerusalem. The State of Palestine is divided into sixteen administrative divisions . The governorates in the West Bank are grouped into three areas per

22752-512: The transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, the large cultural differences are explained by foreign invasion, that is, the introduction of new ethnicity. More recent evidence indicates that the large culture changes were not the result of a foreign invasion. Rather, the Iron Age people of the southern Levant were related to their Bronze Age predecessors. The post-Iron Age is generally thought of as historical and accordingly names of periods reflect this. The very latest Iron Age phase

22910-440: The two territories. Throughout this period, there were sporadic outbreaks of violence and tensions between Palestinians and Israelis. Since 2001, Incidents of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli territory and Israeli military operations in response often resulted in casualties and further strained the situation. Following the inter-Palestinian conflict in 2006, Hamas took over control of the Gaza Strip (it already had majority in

23068-423: The unrelated PLO Palestinian National Covenant and PNA Palestine Basic Law . The Palestinian government is divided into two geographic entities – the Palestinian Authority governed by Fatah, which has partial control over the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, which is under control of the militant group Hamas. Fatah is a secular party , which was founded by Yasser Arafat and enjoys relatively good relations with

23226-418: The war occurring in the West Bank . Areas claimed by the country, known as the Palestinian territories , lie in the Southern Levant of the Middle East region. Palestine is part of the Fertile Crescent , along with Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. The Gaza Strip borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Egypt to the south, and Israel to the north and east. The West Bank is bordered by Jordan to

23384-439: The western powers. On other hand, Hamas is a militant group , based on Palestinian nationalist and Islamic ideology , inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood . Hamas has tense relations with the United States, but receives support from Iran. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is another popular secular party, which was founded by George Habash . Mahmoud Abbas is the president of the country since 2005. Mohammad Shtayyeh

23542-458: Was a supporter of Palestinian cause and won support from Arafat during the war. Following the invasion of Kuwait , Saddam surprised the international community by presenting a peace offer to Israel and withdrawing Iraqi forces from Kuwait, in exchange of withdrawal from the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights. Though the peace offer was rejected, Saddam then ordered firing of scud missiles into Israeli territory. This movement

23700-509: Was al-'Asifah ("The Storm"), and this was also the name Fatah first used in its communiques, trying for some time to conceal its identity. This name has since been applied more generally to Fatah armed forces, and does not correspond to a single unit today. Other militant groups associated with Fatah include: During the Second Intifada, the group was a member of the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces . In August 2009, at Fatah's Sixth General Conference in Bethlehem , Fatah delegates drew up

23858-465: Was destroyed in an airstrike by the Israeli army in 2001, claiming itself in retaliation to previous attacks by Hamas. In January 2002, the IDF Shayetet 13 naval commandos captured the Karine A , a freighter carrying weapons from Iran towards Israel. UNSC Resolution 1397 was passed, which reaffirmed a two-state solution and laid the groundwork for a road map for peace . Another attack by Hamas left 30 people killed in Netanya . A peace summit

24016-461: Was intercepted by the British navy, leading to clashes and the eventual deportation of the refugees back to Europe. During World War II , Palestine served as a strategically significant location for British military operations against Axis forces in North Africa . In 1947, the United Nations proposed a partition plan for Palestine, suggesting separate Jewish and Arab states, but it was rejected by Arab nations while accepted by Jewish leaders. In 1947,

24174-415: Was made in 2003, which was supported by Arafat and rejected by Sharon. In 2004 Hamas's leader and co-founder Ahmed Yassin was assassinated by the Israeli army in Gaza. Yasser Arafat was confined to his headquarters in Ramallah. On 11 November, Yasser Arafat died in Paris. In the first week of 2005, Mahmoud Abbas was elected as the president of the State of Palestine. In 2005, Israel completely withdrew from

24332-411: Was organized by the Arab League in Beirut , which was endorsed by Arafat and nearly ignored by Israel. In 2002, Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield after the Passover massacre . Heavy fighting between IDF and Palestinian fighters took place in Jenin . The Church of the Nativity was besieged by the IDF for one week until successful negotiations took place, which resulted withdrawal of

24490-441: Was supported by Palestinians. The war also led expulsion of Palestinians from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia , as their government supported Iraq . In 1993, the Oslo Accords were signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), leading to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and a potential path to peace. Yasser Arafat was elected as president of the newly formed Palestinian Authority in 1994, marking

24648-432: Was the most common metal in use, while stone technology continued to contribute the bulk of tools . Early Bronze III is followed by another period, alternately named Early Bronze IV, Middle Bronze I, Intermediate Bronze or Early Bronze-Middle Bronze. In this period the name is apt; true bronze (a tin alloy of copper ) makes its appearance in this time span. The next period is generally known as Middle Bronze II and

24806-425: Was the prime minister of Palestine, who resigned in 2024. In 2024, Mohammad Mustafa was appointed as the new prime minister of the country, after resigning of Shtayyeh. Yahya Sinwar was leader of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip before his death on 16 October, 2024. According to Freedom House , the PNA governs Palestine in an authoritarian manner, including by repressing activists and journalists critical of

24964-450: Was to campaign against Fatah in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election , presenting a list including Mohammed Dahlan , Kadoura Fares , Samir Mashharawi and Jibril Rajoub . However, on 28 December 2005, the leadership of the two factions agreed to submit a single list to voters, headed by Barghouti, who began actively campaigning for Fatah from his jail cell. There have been numerous other expressions of discontent within Fatah, which

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