Ethan Riley
The West Bank, an area of land west of the Jordan River, has been a subject of dispute between Jordan and Israel since the 1948 War. Jordan annexed the West Bank in 1950 and granted citizenship to its Palestinian inhabitants. However, Israel occupied the West Bank during the 1967 Six-Day War, and Jordan formally waived its claim over the territory in 1988. Despite this, the future political status of the West Bank remains uncertain, with some advocating for Jordan to re-annex the region to grant Palestinians democratic rights and end Israel's occupation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| West Bank Annexation | Jordan annexed the West Bank in April 1950 |
| West Bank Annexation Recognition | The annexation was only recognized by Britain, Iraq and Pakistan |
| West Bank Citizenship | All Palestinians in the West Bank gained Jordanian citizenship |
| West Bank Rights | They enjoyed the same rights as Jordanians from the East Bank |
| West Bank Industrial Development | The industrial development of the West Bank was never strong during the Jordanian period |
| West Bank Israeli Annexation | Palestinians protest against Israel's annexation plan for some areas of the West Bank |
| West Bank Israeli Occupation | Jordan formally waived its claim over the territory in 1988 |
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What You'll Learn
Jordan annexed the West Bank in 1950
Jordan's annexation of the West Bank in 1950 was a significant event in the region's history, with long-lasting implications for Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian people. The annexation occurred in the context of the complex and contentious history of the region, which has been marked by competing claims and conflicts over territory.
The West Bank, located west of the Jordan River, was part of the former British-mandated territory of Palestine (1920-1947). After the departure of the British in 1947, the area was retained by Arab forces that entered Palestine, and its borders and status were established by the Jordanian-Israeli armistice of April 3, 1949. This armistice agreement set the stage for Jordan's annexation of the West Bank the following year.
On April 24, 1950, the Jordanian Parliament passed a resolution approving the annexation of the West Bank, which had been occupied by Jordan during the 1948 War. The resolution emphasized the national, physical, and geographical unity of both banks of the Jordan River and was recognized by only three countries: Britain, Iraq, and Pakistan. As a result of the annexation, all Palestinians in the West Bank immediately gained Jordanian citizenship and political representation in the Jordanian parliament, with equal rights as Jordanians from the East Bank.
Jordan's annexation of the West Bank was met with international criticism, with many seeing it as a bold and unilateral move by the Jordanian monarch. However, it also provided a sense of unity and political recognition for Palestinians, who had envisioned an independent Arab state after the 1947 UN partition plan failed to materialize. Nonetheless, the annexation did not bring an end to the region's conflicts and disputes.
In 1967, Israel captured the West Bank during the Six-Day War, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Jordan formally waived its claim over the territory in 1988, referencing the 1950 resolution, and Israel's occupation and annexation plans for the West Bank have since sparked ongoing controversies and international outcry. Despite Jordan's formal disengagement from the West Bank, the debate over its future political status remains sensitive, with ongoing discussions about potential reunification or independence for the Palestinian people.
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Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967
The West Bank, a territory west of the Jordan River, was annexed by Jordan in April 1950 after the 1949 armistice agreements with Israel. The West Bank was governed as part of Jordan from 1950 until it was occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967.
The Six-Day War of 1967 was precipitated by an assault on Samu in the West Bank, an area administered by Jordan, in November 1966. Israel claimed this assault was in retaliation for Syrian-backed guerrilla infiltrations and sabotage. On 5 June 1967, Israel attacked Egypt, prompting Jordan to respond by shelling Israeli targets in West Jerusalem. Israel then captured the West Bank, which had been ruled by Jordan, and established a military administration throughout the area.
Since the Israeli occupation began in 1967, Israel's ruthless policies of land confiscation, illegal settlement, and dispossession, coupled with rampant discrimination, have inflicted immense suffering on Palestinians, depriving them of their basic rights. Israel has also adopted a complex web of military laws to crush dissent against its policies. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank is now the longest in modern history. Israel has cited several reasons for retaining control of the West Bank, including historic rights stemming from the Balfour Declaration, security grounds, and the area's symbolic value for Jews.
The industrial development of the West Bank was never strong during the Jordanian period, and Israeli occupation has further constrained its development. Investment capital remains scarce in the West Bank, and only transportation infrastructure has seen much improvement since 1967, mainly for military reasons.
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. Israel has continued to appropriate Palestinian land and support the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, despite UN resolutions and international outcry.
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Jordan waived its claim to the West Bank in 1988
The West Bank was a part of the former British-mandated territory of Palestine (1920-1947) west of the Jordan River. In 1948, Transjordan occupied and annexed the portion of Mandatory Palestine that became known as the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The territory remained under Jordanian control until it was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War.
In 1950, Jordan formally annexed the West Bank, and its residents were granted Jordanian citizenship. This move was only recognized by the UK, Iraq, and Pakistan. The annexation more than tripled Jordan's population, increasing it from 400,000 to 1,300,000. The West Bankers were given half of the seats in the Jordanian parliament.
In 1988, Jordan waived its claim to the West Bank. This came after an emergency meeting of the Arab League in June of the same year, which gave the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) financial control of support for the Palestinians, acknowledging Yasser Arafat as their spokesman. In response, King Hussein renounced all Jordanian claims to the West Bank, allowing the PLO to assume full responsibility there. He dissolved the Jordanian parliament, half of whose members were West Bank representatives, and ceased salary payments to 21,000 West Bank civil servants. On July 31, 1988, King Hussein announced the severance of all legal and administrative ties with the West Bank, except for the Jordanian sponsorship of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
The Palestine National Council recognized the PLO as the sole legal representative of the Palestinian people and proclaimed the independence of a notional Palestine on November 15, 1988. Hussein immediately extended recognition to the Palestinian entity. In November 1989, Jordan held its first parliamentary elections in 22 years.
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The West Bank is geographically part of Jordan
The West Bank is a region geographically located in the Middle East, west of the Jordan River. The region is composed of north-south limestone hills, which descend to the low-lying Great Rift Valley of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. The West Bank was formerly part of the British-mandated territory of Palestine (1920-1947). After the 1948 War, Jordan occupied the West Bank, and in 1950, Jordan formally annexed the territory. This annexation was recognised by Britain, Iraq and Pakistan, and all Palestinians in the West Bank gained Jordanian citizenship.
The unification of Jordan and the West Bank was short-lived, as Israel took control of the West Bank during the Six-Day War in 1967. Jordan formally waived its claim over the West Bank in 1988, but the future political status of the region remains a sensitive issue. Some Jordanians fear that Israel seeks to impose a solution to the Palestinian issue at Jordan's expense, while others argue that Jordan re-annexing the West Bank would be a betrayal of Jordanian and Palestinian principles.
Despite no longer having formal sovereignty over the West Bank, Jordan continues to play a role in the region. The Jordanian Parliament has seats allocated for both the West and East Banks, and the country is still home to a significant Palestinian population. The principal Palestinian municipalities of the West Bank include Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Hebron (Al-Khalil), with Jericho (Arīḥā) as the chief municipality of the Jordan River valley.
The geography of the West Bank is diverse, with annual rainfall varying across the region. The availability of water dictates land-use patterns, with non-irrigated terrain in the hills used for sheep grazing and cereal cultivation, while irrigated land in the Jordan River valley is cultivated for fruits and vegetables. The industrial development of the West Bank has historically been limited, and Israeli occupation has further constrained its economic growth.
In conclusion, the West Bank is geographically diverse and strategically located in the Middle East, with a complex political and historical relationship with Jordan. While Jordan no longer has formal sovereignty over the region, the two areas share a geographical connection through the Jordan River and its associated valley.
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Jordan should re-annex the West Bank
The international community must also consider the fears of Jordanians that their state is being "stolen" through unification with Palestine or that the Hashemite monarchy may be weakened. However, these concerns can be addressed through a special agreement that ensures the rule of the kingdom will always belong to the Hashemite family. Additionally, the argument that Jordanian citizenship can be withdrawn from its citizens of Palestinian origin to maintain their birthright to live in the West Bank would become irrelevant if Jordan re-annexed the West Bank.
Furthermore, the industrial development of the West Bank suffered under Israeli occupation, with investment capital remaining scarce and only transportation infrastructure seeing improvement, primarily for military reasons. Reunification with Jordan could bring about economic prosperity for the West Bank.
Finally, Jordan re-annexing the West Bank could potentially bring about peace in the region. The Palestinian prime minister warned that the Palestinians might declare an independent state on most of the West Bank if Israel annexed land there, to which the U.N.’s Middle East envoy declared that Israeli annexation and Palestinian countersteps “would dramatically shift local dynamics and most likely trigger conflict and instability in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip." Jordan re-annexing the West Bank could prevent this instability and conflict from occurring.
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Frequently asked questions
The West Bank was annexed by Jordan in April 1950 after the 1949 armistice agreements. All Palestinians in the West Bank immediately became Jordanian citizens and were given political recognition in its parliament. However, Jordan formally waived its claim over the territory in 1988, after Israel took over the West Bank during the 1967 Six-Day War.
Yes, Jordan renounced its claim over the West Bank in 1988, referencing the 1950 resolution.
Jordan's King Abdullah I annexed the West Bank and granted citizenship to every Palestinian. However, Jordan's role in the Six-Day War, where its territory was used to launch attacks on Israel, is believed to be one of the reasons it lost the West Bank.
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