Israeli occupation of the West Bank

1967–present military occupation of the West Bank by Israel Map of West Bank settlements and closures in January 2006: Yellow = Palestinian urban centers. Light pink = closed military areas or settlement boundary areas or areas isolated by the Israeli West Bank barrier ; dark pink = settlements, outposts or military bases. The black line = route of the Barrier The Israeli occupation of the West Bank began on 7 June 1967 during the Six-Day War when Israel occupied the West Bank , including East Jerusalem , and continues to the present day. The status of the West Bank as an occupied territory has been affirmed by the International Court of Justice and, with the exception of East Jerusalem , by the Israeli Supreme Court . The official Israeli government view is that the law of occupation does not apply and it claims the territories are "disputed". Considered to be a classic example of an "intractable" conflict, the length of Israel's occupation was already regarded as exceptional after two decades and is now the longest in modern history. Israel has cited several reasons for retaining the West Bank within its ambit: a claim based on the notion of historic rights to this as a homeland as affirmed in the Balfour Declaration ; security grounds, internal and external; and the deep symbolic value for Jews of the area occupied. Perhaps the most closely researched modern conflict, controversies abound even as to what terminology is the most appropriate, with pro-Israeli sources favouring one set of terms and the Palestinian Authority advocating a different nomenclature . Disputes arise over the bias of keywords, and whether the Israeli or Palestinian viewpoint dominates media representations. Public discussion of the occupation is also contested, especially on university campuses . Pro-Israeli Jewish students complain they vilified or harassed; some proposed talks on Palestinian perspectives have been cancelled on the grounds that audiences might not be able to objectively evaluate the material. In response to attempts to silence several high-profile critics of Israeli territorial policies concerns have been expressed that the topic itself is at risk, and that the political pressures restricting research and discussion undermine academic freedom . Among the most controversial policies enacted as part of its occupation, Israel has established numerous Israeli settlements throughout the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The international community considers these settlements illegal under international law , though Israel disputes this. The United Nations Security Council has consistently reaffirmed that settlements in that territory are void of legality and are a "flagrant violation of international law", most recently with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 . The creation and ongoing expansion of the settlements have led to Israel's policies being criticized as an example of colonialism . Israel has been accused of exercising methods of control in its administration of the occupation that constitute major violations of International human rights law . Israeli settlers and civilians travelling through the West Bank are subject to Israeli civilian law while Palestinian civilians are subject to military law and are not permitted to vote in Israeli national elections, leading to comparisons to apartheid . The occupation has numerous critics in Israel itself, with some Israel Defense Forces draftees refusing to serve due to their objections to the occupation. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).

Military occupation by Israel since 1967 See also: Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip Map of West Bank settlements and closures in January 2006: Palestinian urban centers Closed military areas or settlement boundary areas or areas isolated by the Israeli West Bank barrier Settlements, outposts or military bases Route of the Barrier The West Bank , including East Jerusalem , has been under military occupation by Israel since 7 June 1967, when Israeli forces captured the territory, then ruled by Jordan , during the Six-Day War . The status of the West Bank as a militarily occupied territory has been affirmed by the International Court of Justice and, with the exception of East Jerusalem , by the Israeli Supreme Court . The West Bank, excepting East Jerusalem, is administered by the Israeli Civil Administration , a branch of the Israeli Ministry of Defense . Considered to be a classic example of an " intractable conflict ", Israel's occupation is now the longest in modern history . Though its occupation is illegal , Israel has cited several reasons for retaining the West Bank within its ambit: historic rights stemming from the Balfour Declaration ; security grounds, both internal and external; and the area's symbolic value for Jews. Israel has controversially, and in contravention of international law , established numerous Jewish settlements throughout the West Bank. The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly affirmed that settlements in that territory are a "flagrant violation of international law", most recently in 2016 with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 . The International Court of Justice has also found that the establishment of Israeli settlements is illegal under international law. The creation and ongoing expansion of the settlements have led to Israel's policies being criticized as an example of settler colonialism . Israel has been accused of major violations of international human rights law , including collective punishment , in its administration of the occupied Palestinian territories . Israeli settlers and civilians living or traveling through the West Bank are subject to Israeli law , and are represented in the Knesset ; in contrast, Palestinian civilians, mostly confined to scattered enclaves , are subject to martial law and are not permitted to vote in Israel's national elections. This two-tiered system has caused Israel to be accused of committing apartheid , a charge that Israel rejects entirely. Israel's vast military superiority, with a modern army and air force, compared to the Palestinian use of guerrilla tactics, has led to accusations of war crimes on both sides, with Israel being accused of disproportionality and the Palestinians accused of indiscriminate attacks. The occupation also has numerous critics within Israel itself, with some Israeli conscripts refusing to serve due to their objections to the occupation. The legal status of the occupation itself, and not just the actions taken as a part of it, have been increasingly scrutinized by the international community and by scholars in the field of international law, with most finding that regardless of whether the occupation had been legal when it began, it has become illegal over time. There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).