Judea and Samaria
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Judea and Samaria (Hebrew: , sometimes abbreviated יו"ש Yosh or ש"י Shai) is one of a number of terms used to describe the area more widely referred to as the West Bank. The geographical area of Samaria roughly corresponds to the territory of the ancient kingdom of Israel with the capital in Shomron (Sebastia), while Judea (also Judaea) corresponds to the kingdom of Judah with the capital in Jerusalem. With the exception of some 80 years of the United Monarchy under David and Solomon, these were two distinct kingdom that on several occasions went to war with each other; therefore, referral them as a unit is entirely modern, dating from the time of Jordanian occupation and annexation of these areas.
The names Judea and Samaria are often used in reference to Israeli settlements in that area, especially by settlers themselves and their supporters.
The use of these names may also serve as a reminder that, prior to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jewish communities existed there, although these were destroyed or evacuated during the war, or in Hebron's case, during the 1929 riots.
The Israeli government has repeatedly argued that Judea and Samaria provide Israel with essential security against attack: the 1949 Israeli border left nine miles between the eastern border and the Mediterranean Sea, which houses over half of Israel's population and much of the country's industrial and economic infrastructure, including its energy and power installations. [link]
However, the Israeli claim to the territory on this basis has been weakened by the refusal of all Israeli governments since 1967 to contemplate the idea of formally annexing it and granting Israeli citizenship to its Arab inhabitants (which at that point had Jordanian citizenship). Rather than accept such an idea, which could potentially lead to an Arab majority in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) within less than two decades, most Israeli political parties contemplate eventual relinquishment of much of Judea and Samaria to a future Palestinian state, either unilaterally or within the framework of a peace agreement.
In the 2006 elections, the parties advocating relinquishing parts or all of Judea and Samaria gained 64 out of 120 Knesset seats (Kadima-Gil, Avodah, Meretz and Arab parties), although there is still a considerable debate on when and how the territory may be given up, and whether or not Israel should retain settlement blocs with significant Jewish population. At present, there are quarter of a million Jews living in Judea and Samaria (excluding greater Jerusalem), constituting about 14% of its total population.
See also
References
- ["Judea and Samaria"], The Jewish Agency for Israel, undated, retrieved August 31, 2005
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