Judea and Samaria

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This article refers to a District of Israel called Judea and Samaria. For historical regions of Judaea and Samaria see Judea or Samaria. For uses synonymous with the term "the West Bank", see that entry.

Judea and Samaria (Hebrew: יהודה ושומרון Yehuda ve-Shomron , also an acronym יו"ש Yosh or ש"י Shai; Arabic: اليهودية والسامرة‎ al-Yahudiyyah was-Sāmarah) is the official name of one of the seven Districts of Israel (not recognised by the UN). The district's largest community is the City of Ma'aleh Adumim. It is named after the Biblical terms used to describe the area now more commonly 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. After about 80 years of United Monarchy under Kings David and Solomon, the United Kingdom of Israel and Judea split into two independent kingdoms that occasionally went to war with each other. Referral to them as a unit is dating from the modern period, specifically the time of their occupation and annexation by Jordan.

Sometimes, the term "Judea and Samaria" is employed to distinguish it from the "West Bank", the latter term now thought to include also East Jerusalem and stretches of what used to be no-man's land between Israel and Jordan's West Bank. Following the annexation of East Jerusalem by Israel, according to Israeli law, Judea and Samaria is considered Terra nullius^{[citation needed]}.

The names Judea and Samaria are also specifically as a collective term for the Jewish settlements in that area, especially by the settlers and their supporters. It is the official name of the area in the Israeli sources and the Hebrew media (with the exception of a left-wing Haaretz newspaper). Many Palestinians object to this term, which they perceive as a rejection of their rights to the land. Nevertheless, the term al-Yahudiyya was-Samarah is used by Arab Christians in reference to the Bible. ^[1]

[edit] Status

Main article: Status section of the "West Bank" article

The United Nations considers Judea and Samaria ("the West Bank") Israeli-occupied territory, while Israel refers to it as "disputed territory". The Israeli government has argued that Judea and Samaria provide Israel with essential security against attack [1]; however, Israel's 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.

In the 2006 Israeli elections, parties advocating relinquishing parts or all of Judea and Samaria gained 64 out of 120 Knesset seats (Kadima, Labour, Meretz along with the Arab parties). However, following the Second Lebanon War in July-August 2006, such plans have been indefinitely stalled.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Murqus, Sa'īd. Tafsīr kalimāt al-Kitāb al-Muqaddas (Cairo, 1996). (in Arabic)

"Judea and Samaria", The Jewish Agency for Israel, undated, retrieved August 31, 2005

Judea and Samaria District
Cities	Ariel · Betar Illit · Ma'ale Adummim
Regional committees	Hebron
Local councils	Alfei Menashe · Beit Arieh · Bet El · Efrat · Elkana · Giv'at Ze'ev · Har Adar · Immanuel · Karnei Shomron · Kedumim · Kiryat Arba · Ma'ale Efraim · Modi'in Illit · Oranit
Regional councils	Gush Etzion · Har Hebron · Matte Binyamin · Megilot Dead Sea · Shomron · Southern Jordan Valley (Biq'at Hayarden)

Districts of Israel
Jerusalem District \| North District \| Haifa District \| Center District \| Tel Aviv District \| South District \| Judea and Samaria District¹ Notes: (1) This district is not recognized by the UN and most nations (as being part of the state of Israel).