In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “second largest jewish community in samaria”. Today it says “israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central west bank”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-02. In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “second largest jewish community in samaria”. Today it says “israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central west bank”.
We saved snapshots of this article over twenty years; you are reading the 2005 one. Red dashes: removed from Wikipedia since.Pale dots: rewritten; the numbered note shows what it says now.Red text: written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot.1 tap a number or a side note to jump between them
The opening as it read in 2005
Ariel (אריאל) is the second largest Jewish community in Samaria (the Northern West Bank ). It is internationally considered an illegal settlement . It is located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Tel Aviv , 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of the Jordan River , and 38 miles (60 kilometers) northwest of Jerusalem . The town was founded in 1978 , with an initial population of 40 families. The population, as of 2003 , is 16,503. Ariel is home to the College of Judea and Samaria, which was founded in 1982 ; current enrollment is 8,500 students, consisting of both Jewish and Arab students from inside and outside the Green Line .1
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 16428211.
The opening as it stood in 2010 6 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Israel municipality A neighbourhood in Ariel Ariel Ariel ( ; ) is an Israeli settlement and a city in the central West Bank .Established in 1978, its population at the end of 2008 was 16,700, including 7,000 immigrants who came to Israel after 1990.It is the fifth largest Jewish settlement and city in the West Bank.The Israeli Ministry of the Interior gave the municipality of Ariel the status of a city council in 1998.In Hebrew, Ariel (pronounced Ari'el), literally means 'Lion of God'."Ari" (Lion) in Hebrew is also a synonym for bravery and courage and it is also the symbol of the tribe of Judah .Ariel in the Hebrew Bible is one of the names for Jerusalem and the Temple of Jerusalem (Isaiah 29:1-8).In July 2009, the city council approved the mayor's proposal to rename the city after former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon .The final decision is ultimately made by the Israeli government 's 'Name Committee'.In January 2010, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , accompanied by leading figures in his governing coalition, declared Ariel the "capital" of the Samaria region, and an integral part of Israel .Ariel is the most populated Jewish community within the Samaria Regional Council .Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2009-09-30 .Statistical Abstract of Israel, 2006 .Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2005-12-31 .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 369984066.
The opening as it stood in 2015 11 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Israel municipality Ariel ( ; ) is an Israeli settlement organized as a city in the central West Bank , part of the Israeli-occupied territories , approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Green Line and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan border.Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population as of 2011 was about 18,000, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the Former Soviet Union , with an additional influx of 10,000 students.It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, after Modi'in Illit , Beitar Illit , and Ma'ale Adumim .The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law , but the Israeli government disputes this.Ariel's jurisdiction spans 14,677 dunams (14.677 km ; 5.667 sq mi), and borders the Palestinian towns and villages Salfit , Marda and Iskaka .According to B'Tselem , within Ariel's municipal area there are several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them.Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2010-06-30. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2005 .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 666993481.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Israeli settlement in the West Bank Israel municipality Ariel ( ; ) is an Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central West Bank , part of the Israeli-occupied territories , approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Green Line and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan border. Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population was 22,191 in 2024, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the Former Soviet Union , with an additional influx of 10,000 students. It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, after Modi'in Illit , Beitar Illit , and Ma'ale Adumim . The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law , but the Israeli government disputes this. Ariel's jurisdiction spans 14,677 dunams (14.677 km ; 5.667 sq mi), and borders the Palestinian towns and villages Salfit , Marda and Iskaka . According to B'Tselem , within Ariel's municipal area there are several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2010-06-30. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2005 . B'tselem . 17 July 2012 [30 August 2010] .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 950916812.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Israeli settlement in the West Bank City in West Bank Ariel ( ; ) is an Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central West Bank , part of the Israeli-occupied territories , approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Green Line and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan border. Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population was 22,191 in 2024, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the Former Soviet Union , with an additional influx of above 10,000 students from Ariel University . It is the fourth largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, after Modi'in Illit , Beitar Illit , and Ma'ale Adumim . The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law , but the Israeli government disputes this. Ariel's jurisdiction spans 14,677 dunams (14.677 km ; 5.667 sq mi), and borders the Palestinian towns and villages Salfit , Marda and Iskaka . According to B'Tselem , within Ariel's municipal area there are several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2010-06-30. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2005 . B'tselem . 17 July 2012 [30 August 2010] .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1170214502.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Israeli settlement in the West Bank City in West Bank Ariel ( Hebrew : אֲרִיאֵל ; Arabic : أريئيل ) is an Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central West Bank , part of the Israeli-occupied territories , approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Green Line and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan border. Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population was 22,191 in 2024, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the former Soviet Union , with an additional influx of above 10,000 students from Ariel University . It is the fourth largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank, after Modi'in Illit , Beitar Illit , and Ma'ale Adumim . The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law , but the Israeli government disputes this. Ariel's jurisdiction spans 14,677 dunams (14.677 km ; 5.667 sq mi), and borders the Palestinian towns and villages Salfit , Marda and Iskaka . According to B'Tselem , within Ariel's municipal area there are several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2010-06-30. Israel Central Bureau of Statistics . 2005 . B'tselem . 17 July 2012 [30 August 2010] .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1294031772. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
In 2005 Wikipedia's first sentence called it “second largest jewish community in samaria”. Today it says “israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central west bank”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
2010
2015
2020
Oct '23
2025
Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined between 2005 and 2025.
Then
second largest jewish community in samaria
Now
israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central west bank
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
