The Boundaries of Palestine and Israel - Past Present and Future
Gideon Biger
Boundaries of Canaan As Per Num 34:1-12
The LORD said to Moses, "Command the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance will have these boundaries: " 'Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. On the east, your southern boundary will start from the end of the Salt Sea, cross south of Scorpion [b] Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon, where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt and end at the Sea.
Gideon Biger
Boundaries of Canaan As Per Num 34:1-12
The LORD said to Moses, "Command the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter Canaan, the land that will be allotted to you as an inheritance will have these boundaries: " 'Your southern side will include some of the Desert of Zin along the border of Edom. On the east, your southern boundary will start from the end of the Salt Sea, cross south of Scorpion [b] Pass, continue on to Zin and go south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it will go to Hazar Addar and over to Azmon, where it will turn, join the Wadi of Egypt and end at the Sea.
" 'Your western boundary will be the coast of the Great Sea. This will be your boundary on the west.
" 'For your northern boundary, run a line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor and from Mount Hor to Lebo Hamath. Then the boundary will go to Zedad, continue to Ziphron and end at Hazar Enan. This will be your boundary on the north.
" 'For your eastern boundary, run a line from Hazar Enan to Shepham. The boundary will go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain and continue along the slopes east of the Sea of Kinnereth. Then the boundary will go down along the Jordan and end at the Salt Sea.
" 'This will be your land, with its boundaries on every side.' "
The boundaries of Palestine and Israel were created in three main stages : 1er- Outside and international involvement 1906-1947 2e- Boundaries of Wars. 1948-1974. 3e- Boundaries of peace. 1979- onward...
The boundaries of Palestine and Israel were created in three main stages :
The boundaries of Palestine and Israel were created in three main stages :
1er- Outside and international involvement 1906-1947 2e- Boundaries of Wars. 1948-1974. 3e- Boundaries of peace. 1979- onward.
1er. The first stage had three sub stages in it : 1. The first one began during the Ottoman period, when the area known today by the name of Palestine, Philistine or Eretz Israel, was part of the Ottoman empire without any formal boundary lines, even administrative lines. There was no administrative unit by that name, which was an abstract phenomenon, rather then a territorial unit. The first line established in that the British, who enforced in 1906 the Ottoman Empire to accept a line, which run from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Although the line was administrative separated line it fixed the southwestern line of the future area of Palestine. The Turco-British agreement never named the area east of the line as Palestine.
1er. The first stage had three sub stages in it : 1. The first one began during the Ottoman period, when the area known today by the name of Palestine, Philistine or Eretz Israel, was part of the Ottoman empire without any formal boundary lines, even administrative lines. There was no administrative unit by that name, which was an abstract phenomenon, rather then a territorial unit. The first line established in that the British, who enforced in 1906 the Ottoman Empire to accept a line, which run from the Mediterranean Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Although the line was administrative separated line it fixed the southwestern line of the future area of Palestine. The Turco-British agreement never named the area east of the line as Palestine.
2. Later on, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, the British got in 1920 the Mandate for Palestine, the first time this name appeared in the international agreements. Palestine had no boundaries so the British established the first international boundaries of Palestine. The northern line was established after long negotiations with the French Authorities which ruled Lebanon and Syria. The Eastern line was established by the British Administration, which placed the line along the Jordan River and the Arava valley, thus separated between western and eastern Palestine. The British adopted the 1906 line as the southwestern line of British Palestine.
3. During the 1930's and the 1940's the British (in 1937) and the United Nations (1947) suggested the partition of British Palestine between the Jews and the Arabs (with British and later International enclaves around Jerusalem). The Jews accepted the partitions but the Arabs refused to accept it.
2e - The War boundaries - 1948 -1974
In late 1947 a civil war was conducted in Palestine between the Arabs and the Jews. The Arab lost the war and an Arab state never comes to excite in Palestine. The Jewish population established the State of Israel in May 1948, without any definitive boundary lines. Five Arab independence states (Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon declared war against Israel. The war lasted for about a year, ended with the armistice agreements between Israel and its surrounding countries. Egypt occupied the Gaza strip, Transjordan occupied the West Bank and Israel occupied its United Nation area and some areas designated for the Arab State by the United Nation. Thus, in 1949 Israel had its armistice lines, Transjordan became Jordan (after taking the West Bank and the Palestinian Arabs, who lost their war, got nothing. In 1967 another war broke out, in which Israel managed to bit three Arab armies, occupying Sinai from Egypt, the West Bank from Jordan and the Golan Height from Syria. Israel line was then along the Suez Canal, along the British line between Palestine and Transjordan and along the Roqad River in the Golan Height. Another war, that of 1973, changed those line in some parts, mainly in the Golan Height.
In late 1947 a civil war was conducted in Palestine between the Arabs and the Jews. The Arab lost the war and an Arab state never comes to excite in Palestine. The Jewish population established the State of Israel in May 1948, without any definitive boundary lines. Five Arab independence states (Egypt, Transjordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon declared war against Israel. The war lasted for about a year, ended with the armistice agreements between Israel and its surrounding countries. Egypt occupied the Gaza strip, Transjordan occupied the West Bank and Israel occupied its United Nation area and some areas designated for the Arab State by the United Nation. Thus, in 1949 Israel had its armistice lines, Transjordan became Jordan (after taking the West Bank and the Palestinian Arabs, who lost their war, got nothing. In 1967 another war broke out, in which Israel managed to bit three Arab armies, occupying Sinai from Egypt, the West Bank from Jordan and the Golan Height from Syria. Israel line was then along the Suez Canal, along the British line between Palestine and Transjordan and along the Roqad River in the Golan Height. Another war, that of 1973, changed those line in some parts, mainly in the Golan Height.
3e. The Peace boundaries 1979-0nward.
In 1979 Israel and Egypt signed the Peace agreement in which the 1906 line was established as the international boundary between Israel and Egypt. Gaza Strip was left for future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. In 1996 Israel and Jordan signed the Peace agreement in which the Mandatory line, with some small changes, was adopted as the international boundary between the two countries. Peace talks that took place between Israel and Syria in early 2000 never brought any agreement and the 1974 line still exist. The Oslo agreement and its continuations placed some areas of the West Bank and Gaza under the authority of A Palestinian Authority regime but the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, held in 2000, never came the a successful end.
In 1979 Israel and Egypt signed the Peace agreement in which the 1906 line was established as the international boundary between Israel and Egypt. Gaza Strip was left for future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. In 1996 Israel and Jordan signed the Peace agreement in which the Mandatory line, with some small changes, was adopted as the international boundary between the two countries. Peace talks that took place between Israel and Syria in early 2000 never brought any agreement and the 1974 line still exist. The Oslo agreement and its continuations placed some areas of the West Bank and Gaza under the authority of A Palestinian Authority regime but the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, held in 2000, never came the a successful end.
The prospect future
One can assume that Israel and Syria will come to a peace agreement, which will place the boundary line along the Syria-Palestine line of 1923 with some small changes. As for the situation inside Palestine, it is desired that the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with some modifications, based on the population dispersion, will become the Palestinian State, after accepting the existence of the State of Israel, without any armed activities against its population. There are many suggestions concerning the location of the future line between the two states, based on many criteria - defense' water resources, population dispersions, holy site etc. but this will be established after a long but fruitful peace discussions.
One can assume that Israel and Syria will come to a peace agreement, which will place the boundary line along the Syria-Palestine line of 1923 with some small changes. As for the situation inside Palestine, it is desired that the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with some modifications, based on the population dispersion, will become the Palestinian State, after accepting the existence of the State of Israel, without any armed activities against its population. There are many suggestions concerning the location of the future line between the two states, based on many criteria - defense' water resources, population dispersions, holy site etc. but this will be established after a long but fruitful peace discussions.