State of Palestine | |
---|---|
Anthem: "فدائي" "Fida'i"[1] "Fedayeen Warrior" | |
Status | UN observer state under Israeli occupation [a] Recognized by 145 UN member states |
| |
Largest city | Gaza City (before 2023), currently in flux[3][4] |
Official languages | Arabic |
Demonym(s) | Palestinian |
Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic[5] |
Mahmoud Abbas[c] | |
Mohammad Mustafa | |
Aziz Dweik | |
Legislature | National Council |
Formation | |
15 November 1988 | |
29 November 2012 | |
• Sovereignty dispute with Israel | Ongoing[d][6][7] |
Area | |
• Total | 6,020[8] km2 (2,320 sq mi) (163rd) |
• Water (%) | 3.5[9] |
5,655 km2 | |
365 km2[10] | |
Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 5,483,450[11] (121st) |
• Density | 731/km2 (1,893.3/sq mi) |
GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $36.391 billion[12] (138th) |
• Per capita | $6,642[12] (140th) |
GDP (nominal) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | $18.109 billion[12] (121st) |
• Per capita | $3,464[12] (131st) |
Gini (2016) | 33.7[13] medium |
HDI (2021) | 0.715[14] high (106th) |
Currency |
|
Time zone | UTC+2 (Palestine Standard Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (Palestine Summer Time) |
Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
Driving side | right |
Calling code | +970 |
ISO 3166 code | PS |
Internet TLD | .ps |
Palestine,[i] officially the State of Palestine,[ii][f] is a country[19] in the southern Levant region of West Asia. It encompasses two disconnected territories – the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, collectively known as the Palestinian territories – within the larger region of Palestine. The country shares its borders with Israel to north, west and south, Jordan to the east and Egypt to the southwest. It has a combined 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 and Gaza City was its largest city until massive evacuations began in 2023 due to the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.[3][4] Arabic is the official language. The majority of Palestinians practice Islam while Christianity also has a presence.
In 1917, Britain called for a Jewish nation to be created in the land of Palestine.[20][21] After World War I, following the partition of the Ottoman Empire, Britain assumed responsibility for Palestine under the League of Nations mandate. During the next two decades, over 100,000 Jews entered the country. As tensions in Palestine increased due to mass immigration of Jews and resulting violence, the British government found it increasingly difficult to manage the situation. In 1947, Britain decided to hand over the issue to the United Nations.[20] After World War II , in 1947, the United Nations adopted a partition plan for Mandatory Palestine , recommending the creation of two independent Arab and Jewish states and an independent Jerusalem entity.[22] The Jews accepted the partition plan, but the Arabs rejected it. Immediately after the General Assembly adopted the resolution, a civil war broke out, and the plan was not implemented.[23] The British Mandate for Palestine, established in 1920, brought significant changes to the political and social landscape of the area, setting the stage for the conflicts and struggles that would follow.
The establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was marked by a war that resulted in the forced displacement of 700,000 Palestinians and created a large refugee population.[24] Subsequent Arab–Israeli wars, including the Six-Day War in 1967, resulted in the Israeli capture and occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. On 15 November 1988, Palestinian National Council, the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) led by Yasser Arafat, declared the establishment of the State. Signing of the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, negotiated between Israel and the PLO, created the Palestinian Authority (PA) to exercise partial control over parts of Palestinian territories. In 2007, internal divisions between Palestinian political factions led to a takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas. Since then, the West Bank has been governed in part by the Palestinian Authority, led by Fatah, while the Gaza Strip has remained under the control of Hamas. Israel has built settlements in both of the Palestinian territories since the start of the occupation. The settlements in the Gaza Strip were dismantled in Israel's unilateral disengagement in 2005. Approximately 670,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements in the West Bank. The international community considers Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.
Currently, the biggest challenges to the country include the Israeli occupation, 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. It 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.[25] This limited status is largely due to the United States, a permanent member of the Security Council with veto power, has consistently used its veto or threatened to do so to block Palestine's full membership to UN.[26][27][28]
A senior PA official revealed the plans in an interview with Al-Quds newspaper. The change to 'state' status is important because it shows that 'the state of Palestine is occupied,' he said.
Israel remains in charge of territories the world says should one day make up that state.
GA43177
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:17
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha>
tags or {{efn}}
templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
template or {{notelist}}
template (see the help page).
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-roman>
tags or {{efn-lr}}
templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-roman}}
template or {{notelist-lr}}
template (see the help page).
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search