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History of West Bank
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped West Bank.
Overview
The area of Palestine and Israel has been a crossroads of civilizations for millennia. People such as the Canaanites, the Hebrews/Israelites, Romans, Arabs, Mamluks, Crusaders, Ottomans, and British among others have all had significant histories in the area. Palestinian Muslims, Christians and Jewish Israelis have ties to the land because of their Abrahamic roots and monotheistic faiths.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Ancient & Medieval
3000 BCE – 1517
The land of Canaan and later Palestine served as a crossroads of ancient civilizations, inhabited by Canaanites, Israelites, and later conquered by Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, and Byzantines. Arab Muslim forces brought Islam to the region in the 7th century CE, establishing a lasting cultural and religious transformation. The Crusader interlude (1099–1187) was ended by Saladin, after which Mamluk sultans governed the region until the Ottoman conquest.
Ottoman Rule
1517 – 1920
The Ottoman Empire incorporated Palestine into its administrative structure for four centuries, governing the region as part of the provinces of Syria and later the Vilayet of Beirut and the Sanjak of Jerusalem. The late Ottoman period saw the rise of Arab nationalist sentiment and the beginnings of Zionist immigration, creating early demographic and political tensions. Ottoman defeat in World War I ended this era and opened Palestine to European mandatory control.
British Mandate
1920 – 1948
Britain administered Palestine under a League of Nations mandate, having made conflicting promises of a homeland to both Arab and Jewish communities. Accelerating Jewish immigration, encouraged by the Zionist movement, intensified intercommunal violence through the 1930s and 1940s. Unable to resolve competing national claims, Britain handed the question to the United Nations in 1947, which proposed a partition plan that sparked the 1948 war.
Jordanian Administration
1948 – 1967
The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, known to Palestinians as the Nakba, resulted in over 700,000 Palestinian refugees and the West Bank coming under Jordanian control, formally annexed in 1949. Jordan extended citizenship to West Bank Palestinians while suppressing independent Palestinian political organization. East Jerusalem, including the Old City and its holy sites, remained under Jordanian administration throughout this period.
Israeli Occupation
1967 – 1993
Israel's victory in the June 1967 Six-Day War brought the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip under Israeli military occupation, prompting UN Security Council Resolution 242 calling for Israeli withdrawal. Israel systematically established Jewish settlements on occupied land, displacing additional Palestinian populations. Decades of occupation, land confiscation, and restricted movement culminated in the First Intifada, which began in December 1987 and reshaped international pressure toward a negotiated solution.
Palestinian Authority Era
1993 – present
The Oslo Accords, signed on 13 September 1993, established the Palestinian Authority and granted limited self-governance over designated areas of the West Bank and Gaza, with subsequent agreements—including the 1995 Interim Agreement and 1998 Wye River Memorandum—extending PA jurisdiction incrementally. The first Palestinian legislative elections were held in January 1996, and Yasser Arafat served as president until his death in 2004. The Second Intifada (2000–2005), Israel's 2002 siege of Arafat's Ramallah compound, and Gaza's separation under Hamas from 2007 onward have kept final-status negotiations unresolved.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1949
The West Bank was declared part of Jordanian territory.
The West Bank was declared part of Jordanian territory after Israel and Jordan signed armistice agreements in 1949.
1993
Negotiations in Norway culminate in the signing of the Declaration of Principles.
Negotiations in Norway culminate in the signing of the Declaration of Principles between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The Palestinians consent to recognizing Israel. In return, Israel would gradually dismantle its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and transfer authority to an interim Palestinian Authority (PA), initiated by a 1994 agreement.
1996
The country’s first national elections.
In the country’s first national elections, Palestinians elect Yasser Arafat as the PA’s chairman as well as members of the Palestinian Authority legislative body, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).
1998
Under the Wye River Memorandum, Israel agrees to further withdrawals from the West Bank.
Under the Wye River Memorandum, Israel agrees to further withdrawals from the West Bank.
2002
Israeli forces besiege Yasser Arafat’s Ramallah compound.
Israeli forces besiege Yasser Arafat’s Ramallah compound and reoccupy almost all of the West Bank. Arafat signs the Palestinian Authority Basic Law, which provides the legal foundation for the PA.
2004
The PA holds municipal elections in 26 West Bank localities.
The PA holds municipal elections in 26 West Bank localities for the first time in almost three decades.
2005
Israel evacuates its settlers and withdraws troops from Gaza.
Israel evacuates its settlers and withdraws troops from Gaza, ending almost 40 years of military occupation.