Judea and Samaria

From Free net encyclopedia

Judea and Samaria is one of a number of terms used to describe the area more widely referred to as the West Bank. The names Judea and Samaria are often used to refer to Israeli settlements in that area, primarily by settlers themselves and sympathizers. The reference of these territories by their biblical Judaic names is intended to legitimize the presence of Jewish settlers there, and by implication delegitimize any Arab claim to the territories.

The use of these names may also serve as a reminder that, prior to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Jewish communities existed there, although these were destroyed or evacuated during the war, or in Hebron's case, during the 1929 riots.

Against the Palestinian claim to the area, the Israeli government has argued that Judea and Samaria provide Israel with essential security against attack: the 1949 Israeli border left nine miles between the eastern border and the Mediterranean Sea, which houses over half of Israel's population and much of the country's industrial and economic infrastructure, including its energy and power installations. [1]

[edit]