Palestine is a region in the Middle East rich in history and culture, but also at the heart of major political conflicts. The evolution of its map over the centuries reflects this complexity: successive empires, colonial mandate, wars, population displacements, military occupation, colonization, and unfinished diplomatic processes.
This article offers a clear chronological reading—with dates and cartographic landmarks—to understand how the current situation came to be: a Palestinian territory deeply fragmented between the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
Before 1917: A Region Under Empires, Without Modern National Borders
For several centuries, the region was integrated into large imperial systems (notably the Ottoman Empire). Modern borders did not exist as they do today: there was more talk of administrative provinces, cities, districts, and trade routes. The notion of a "national map" in the contemporary sense was then largely anachronistic.
1917–1947: From British Mandate to Partition Plan
1917: The Balfour Declaration
In 1917, the United Kingdom issued the Balfour Declaration, expressing its support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, as the region gradually came under British control after World War I. This declaration, associated with the colonial administration of the British Mandate (formalized in the early 1920s), opened a period of intense political, social, and demographic tensions.
1920–1947: Tensions, Revolts, and Demographic Reshaping
Under the mandate, Palestine experienced an increase in clashes, strikes, revolts, and progressive militarization, while nationalist movements (Palestinian and Zionist) became structured. On maps, administrative divisions were mostly visible, but on the ground, power dynamics evolved rapidly.
1947–1949: Partition Plan, Nakba, and First Major Territorial Shift
1947: The UN Partition Plan
In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a plan recommending the partition of the mandated territory into two states, with an international status for Jerusalem. This plan became a major landmark in cartographic debates, but it was not implemented as such on the ground.
1948: The Nakba and the War
In 1948, the creation of the State of Israel and the ensuing war led to the Nakba ("catastrophe"): hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced or fled. The map changed abruptly: Israel controlled a larger share than that provided for by the 1947 plan, while Palestinian areas came under the control of neighboring countries.
1949: The Armistice Lines ("Green Line")
In 1949, armistices defined what is often called the Green Line. From then on, the West Bank was administered by Jordan and Gaza by Egypt. These lines were not definitive borders, but they became a central landmark on maps for decades.
1956: Suez Crisis, Gaza at the Heart of Regional Power Dynamics
The Suez Crisis (1956) illustrates the fragility of the regional balance and the strategic position of Gaza. Even if the Palestinian political map was not permanently redrawn at that date, the episode underlines that Gaza was already a highly militarized and disputed area, caught in the logics of power.
1967: The Six-Day War and the Occupation of Palestinian Territories
In June 1967, the Six-Day War marked a second historic turning point. Israel occupied: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip. From 1967 onwards, the "map of Palestine" in international discussions was often read as: occupied Palestinian territories (West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza) versus Israel.
1967 became a major reference point, as many future diplomatic initiatives would be based on the idea of a withdrawal, or on reference to pre-1967 borders.
1973: The Yom Kippur War and the Lasting Freeze of Borders
In October 1973, the region experienced another major conflict: the Yom Kippur War (or October War), launched by Egypt and Syria against Israel. The objective was to regain territories occupied since 1967 and to bring the Palestinian question back to the center of international negotiations.
While this war did not directly modify the map of Palestine territorially, it had significant political and diplomatic consequences.
After 1973: Increased Recognition of the Palestinian Question
In the following years, the Palestinian question became more central in diplomatic arenas. In 1974, the Arab League recognized the PLO as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and that same year Yasser Arafat addressed the UN. Symbolically, this changed how the "map of Palestine" was discussed: it was no longer just a disputed territory, but a people claiming a right to self-determination.
Territorial Status Quo but "On the Ground" Transformation
Unlike 1948 or 1967, the 1973 war did not lead to an immediate redrawing of Palestinian territories. The West Bank and Gaza remained under Israeli occupation. However, the map continued to evolve through political decisions, control measures, and gradually, through colonization.
1978–1979: Camp David and a Regional Turning Point
The Camp David Accords (late 1970s) led to the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. They reordered regional priorities and showed that inter-state agreements could be made without fully resolving the Palestinian question. On the map, this did not bring Palestinian sovereignty, but it altered the diplomatic context in which Palestine was now discussed.
1987: First Intifada and New Visibility of the Reality of Occupation
Starting in 1987, the First Intifada expressed a popular uprising in the occupied territories. Cartographically, the world rediscovered the daily reality of occupation: controlled roads, checkpoints, limited access, and a direct link between military control and geography.
1993–1995: Oslo Accords and Administrative Fragmentation (Zones A, B, C)
The Oslo Accords (1990s) established the Palestinian Authority and an administrative division in the West Bank: Area A (Palestinian administration), Area B (Palestinian administration + shared security), Area C (Israeli control). On paper, this was supposed to be transitional. In practice, this period introduced a very concrete cartography of fragmentation.
2000–2005: Second Intifada, Walls, Barriers, and Restriction of Space
In the early 2000s, the Second Intifada was accompanied by an intensification of violence, a tightening of security, and new separation infrastructures. On the map, this resulted in more constrained movement and a reconfiguration of access, particularly around Jerusalem and several areas of the West Bank.
2005–2007: Gaza Withdrawal and Blockade
In 2005, Israel withdrew from its settlements in Gaza, but the Gaza Strip remained under severe constraints (border controls, maritime and aerial access). In 2007, after a Palestinian internal political recomposition, Gaza entered a period of prolonged blockade. On the map, Gaza became an extremely isolated territory.
2012: Palestine Obtains Observer State Status at the UN
In 2012, the UN granted Palestine non-member observer state status. This was an important diplomatic milestone: it strengthened the political framework of the Palestinian claim, even if it did not immediately transform the territorial reality.
From 1967 to Today: A Fragmented Map
Today, the map of the Palestinian territories is marked by extreme fragmentation: a mosaic of differently administered areas, military-controlled zones, and controlled roads and crossings. The West Bank increasingly resembles, in practice, an archipelago of discontinuous areas, while Gaza remains a densely populated, isolated territory subject to recurrent crises.
East Jerusalem: A Disputed Political and Symbolic Heart
East Jerusalem remains a central point of tension. The stakes there are simultaneously religious, political, legal, and urban, and the city perfectly illustrates how a map can be contested, redrawn, or restricted by on-the-ground decisions.
West Bank: Difficult Territorial Continuity
In the West Bank, the issue of territorial continuity is one of the main challenges: circulation, access to land, access to certain areas, and urban planning are profoundly affected by divisions, controls, and infrastructure.
Gaza: Isolation, Density, and Successive Crises
Gaza represents a particular geographic reality: a small territory, high density, constrained access. This situation directly affects the economy, mobility, access to healthcare, and reconstruction after episodes of war.
How to Read a "Map of Palestine" Without Being Misled?
- Check the date: a map from 1947, 1949, 1967, 1995, or 2024 tells a different story.
- Identify what the map shows: borders, armistice lines, administrative zones, military control, settlements, etc.
- Distinguish between law and reality: some maps reflect a legal framework, others a de facto situation on the ground.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the Map of Palestine
Why is it called "occupied Palestinian territories"?
This expression refers to the situation resulting from 1967: the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza were militarily occupied. Many international texts and resolutions use this framework to describe the status of these territories.
What is the difference between the "Green Line" and an official border?
The Green Line corresponds to the 1949 armistice agreements: it marks ceasefire lines, not definitive borders. However, it served as a political and cartographic landmark for decades.
Why does the map seem to "shrink" over time?
Because, beyond the major wars, evolution also occurs through progressive mechanisms: control of access, administrative divisions, infrastructure, movement restrictions, and space reconfiguration.
To Go Further...
To delve deeper, we invite you to consult our article: Palestinian flag: history and meaning. If Palestinian demographics interest you, feel free to consult our article dedicated to the first inhabitants of Palestine.
Finally, to educate your entourage about the reduction of Palestinian territories over time, do not hesitate to order our Palestine Map Evolution T-Shirt, which symbolizes the loss of land, but also the loss of hope.
Lastly, you will also love our "Original Map Palestine T-Shirt", featuring the Palestinian map before the 1948 Nakba.