Learn More About Palestine

Maps of Palestine

My map of the whole state of Palestine. The regions are outlined in red. (North to south, west to east: Akka, Safad, Tabariya, Haifa, an Nasira, Bisan, Jenin, Tulkarm, Nabulus, Jaffa, al Ramleh, Ramallah, al Quds, Gaza, al Khalil, and Bi'r as Sab'.) Capitals of each region, plus Khan Yunis and Rafah in Gaza and the region capitals of West Bank, are marked with black stars. The Gaza Strip and West Bank areas are highlighted in green. Surrounding countries Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt are in gray. I've also indicated Syria's Golan Heights. The Mediterranean and Dead Seas are blue. (The red sea is also blue, but there's only a very little bit of it at the south tip of Palestine, so it's not labeled.) The scale showing miles and meters and my logo with "Map by Kristen Otenti" are in the bottom left corner. The legend is in the bottom right.
Gaza Strip, Palestine. The regions are delineated in light green and labeled off the shore of Gaza. (North to south: North Gaza, Gaza, Deir al-Balah AKA the Middle Area, Khan Yunis, and Rafah.) Major roads are in tan. Major cities are marked with stars (the capital of each region, which all share their respective names, plus Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in North Gaza.) Smaller cities/towns are marked with a dot. Hospitals are indicated with a dark blue pin with a white H. Refugee camps are indicated with a light blue pin with a white tent. There's a thick black line around the perimeter of the strip indicating the barrier between it and Occupied Palestine (in green, to the east of the strip.) The three remaining crossings are indicated. Erez Crossing, on the north border, Rafah Crossing, on the south border, and Kerem Crossing, which is for goods only, at the very south end of the eastern border. Egypt is to the south, in gray. The Mediterranean Sea is to the west, in blue.
West Bank, Palestine. Shown in white and red, red indicating "Area C," which is Israeli controlled & contains Israeli settlements. West Bank regions are outlined in green, & respectively-named capitals are marked with a star. (North to south, west to east: Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, Nabulus, Qalqilya, Salfit, Ariha AKA Jericho, Ramallah, al Quds AKA Jerusalem, Beit Lahm AKA Bethlehem, & al Khalil AKA Hebron.) Other cities/towns marked with a dot. Refugee camps marked with a light blue pin with white tent. There's a thick black line along parts of the border of the West Bank area, some cutting in, & a couple just in the middle of the area. These indicate portions of the planned barrier wall that have been built. The rest of Occupied Palestine is colored green, & the cities Ramleh & Bisan have been marked with stars. Jordan is to the east in gray, the Dead Sea to the south east in blue, & the Mediterranean Sea to the west in blue. Scale to south, Logo & legend in bottom left corner.
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About Palestine

The State of Palestine, showing the regions as of 1946, before Israel started stealing land en masse.

While the area was then known as Canaan, Philistines first arrived in 1267 BCE. By the 5th century BCE, the region was called Palestine. It wasn’t until 136 CE that Jewish people were banished from the region—by Roman emperor Hadrian.

After centuries of various empires occupying Palestine, Britain terminated their mandate in 1948 and transferred their rule to Zionists, who’d been hoping to colonize Palestine since 1897. Al-Nakba (The Catastrophe) is recognized every year on May 15, the day Israel came to be.

The Nakba forced Palestinians from across Palestine either into present-day Gaza Strip and West Bank areas, or to flee the country altogether. Israel began to establish laws transferring Palestinian property to Jewish folks immigrating from all over the world. After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel imposed martial law on the Gaza and West Bank.

Gaza

The current Gaza Strip, a fraction of the size of the Gaza region of Palestine, is enclosed with a barrier—part wall, part fence—that Israel not only controls access through but also patrols to ensure Palestinians trapped inside don’t escape.

In the months of extreme hostility since October 7th, Israel has been forcing Palestinians in Gaza southward, claiming Rafah is the safe area. If you notice on the map, though, being forced south into Rafah forces these Palestinians literally against a wall.

There has also been talk of closing the Rafah crossing—through which Palestinians have been allowed into Egypt, provided they have enough bribe money—and combining it with the goods-only Kerem Crossing, thereby increasing Israel’s control of Palestinian people.

West Bank

The second Oslo Accord, in 1995, divided the West Bank into three areas with varying Israeli control and occupation.

  • Area A: Palestine controls most affairs, including internal security.
  • Area B: Palestine controls education, health, and the economy.
  • Area C: Controlled and settled by Israel.

On the map above, the white areas comprise Areas A and B, while the red represents Area C. Note that while Palestinians retain internal control of Areas A & B, Israel still has full external control and has decided its military has the right to enter these areas at any time.

While not entirely closed off, like Gaza, you can see there are portions of barriers built along some of the West Bank “border.”

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!