THE FRONTIER

WITH SYRIA

Syria became independent in1946. When the State of Israelcame into being in 1948, Syriainvaded the new state,conquered the Banyas, theMishmar Hayarden triangle, theAlmagor triangle, the coast ofBetiha, and the eastern bank ofthe Jordan River. In thearmistice agreements of 1949,Syria agreed to withdraw itsarmy from these areas and toturn them into demilitarizedzones. In fact, Syria remained inthe strips of territory thatsecured its hold on the banks ofthe Jordan River and the Sea ofGalilee, and the Banyas. Later,Syria conquered Hamat Gaderand Nuqeib, north of Ein GevThese territories were underSyrian control until 1967 andfacilitated its unceasing attacksagainst Israel.

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ARMISTICE AGREEMENT

WITH JORDAN

(1949)

The armistice agreement with Jordan wassigned in Rhodes with the help of UNmediation on April 4, 1949. The agreementstates that this is a necessary step towardsreestablishing peace in the Land of Israel, andemphasizes that in no way is the armistice lineto be interpreted as a political or territorialborder, nor does it constitute interferencewith the rights, claims, or positions of any sidevis-à-vis the final settlement of the question ofthe Land of Israel. The agreement set theparameters for prisoner exchanges,demilitarized zones, no-man's land, andmonitoring arrangements. In the framework ofthe agreement, Israel was given land in theSharon and the Irone River areas, andsections of the Beit Shean Valley wereexchanged.

Jerusalem

Tel Aviv

JaffaLatrun

0

0

40 km

40 mi

No man’s land

Jordanian occupied

Area acquired by Jordan

Area acquired by Israel

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JEWISH COMMUNITIES

LOST IN THE WAR OF

INDEPENDENCE

During the War of Independence, a number of Jewish communitieswere captured, mostly by theJordanian army – Kibbutz Beit Ha-arava and Kalya north of theDead Sea, the four kibbutzim ofGush Etzion west of Bethlehem,Atarot and Neve Yaakov north ofJerusalem, and the JewishQuarter in the Old City ofJerusalem. Kfar Darom, nearGaza, was captured by theEgyptian army. In addition, whenthe War of Independence brokeout at the end of 1947, theremnant of the Jewish communityof Hebron fled.

Mediterranean Sea

Kfar Darom

Jerusalem, The Jewish Quarter

Hebron

Kfar EtzionEin TzurimMasuot Yitzhak

Revadim

Kalya

Beit Ha’aravaAtarot

Neve Ya’akov

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00 40 mi

40 km

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JERUSALEM BEFORE THE SIX

DAY WAR

(1949-1967)

At the end of the War of Independence,Jerusalem was divided between Israeland Jordan. Armistice lines weredetermined in November 1948 byMoshe Dayan, Commander of theJerusalem district, and Abdallah el-Tal,Legion Commander of the Jerusalemfront. Between the lines drawn up bythe two commanders, areas were leftthat were defined as no-man's-land. Thearea around Armon Hanatziv was usedas UN territory, and Mount Scopusbecame an Israeli enclave that containedthe Hebrew University, HadassahHospital and, officially, the village ofIssawiyya. This map was adopted inApril 1949 by the sides in an armisticeagreement signed in Rhodes. Thewesternmost point between the twoparts of the city was at the edge of theMusrara neighborhood, near the houseof the Mandelbaum family, and thus wascalled “Mandelbaum Gate.”

Israel-Jordan ArmisticeLine, 1949 - 1967

Old City

City Center

Talbieh

German Colony

Talpiot

Yad Vashem

Mt. Herzl

Beit Hakerem

Sanhedria

Knesset

Neutral Territory- UN controlled or no-man’s-land

Municipal Border, 1952

Eastern Jerusalem, 1949-1967

MeaShearim

Israeli area previous to Six Day War

Mt.Scopus

1 km

1 mi

0

0

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EVENTS LEADING TO THE

SIX DAY WAR (1967)

The Six Day War was the first major Arab attemptsince 1948 to destroy Israel. In November 1966, anEgyptian-Syrian Defense Agreement was signed,encouraging the Syrians to escalate tensions, whichreached a climax in the spring of 1967. May 14: Egypt mobilized its forces in and around

the Suez Canal. May 16: Egypt moved it forces eastward across the

Sinai desert towards the Israeli border,demanding the withdrawal of UN EmergencyForce (UNEF) stationed along the frontier.

May 19:The Egyptians expelled the UNEmergency Force (UNEF) from the GazaStrip and Sinai, and continued pouring itsmilitary forces into these areas.

May 22: Egypt closed the Straits of Tiran to Israelishipping, constituting a casus belli for Israel.

May 24-June 4: Answering the Egyptian call, thegovernments of Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia,Syria and Lebanon moved their forces towardthe Israeli border. Israel mobilized its reserveforces, and launched a diplomatic campaign towin international support for ending theEgyptian blockade of Israeli shipping throughthe Strait of Tiran.

Mediterranean Sea

Beer Sheba

Tel AvivJaffa

Haifa

Jerusalem

Syria

Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Red Sea

SinaiPeninsula

Egypt

SuezCanal

Eilat

Samaria

Judea

GolanHeights

Gulfof

Suez

Gulfof

Eilat

Israeli territory before Six Day War

Gaza

0 40 km

40 mi0

Strait of Tiran

Egyptian blockade

May 19, 1967: UN forceswithdraw from Sinai according

to Egyptian demand.

Sharm elSheikh

Advance of

Syrian Army

Advance of Iraqi Army

Advance of Egyptian Army

Advance of

Saudi Arabian Army

Advance of

Jordanian Army

LebanonAdvance of

Lebanese Army

Abu Aweigila

El Arish

Kuntilla

Ras Al-Nagb

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ISRAEL AFTER THE

SIX DAY WAR

(JUNE 10, 1967)

Once it became clear that thediplomatic campaign had failed,and following Jordan’sparticipation in the Egyptian-Syrian alliance, Israel launchedaction in self-defense against themassing threat from Egypt onJune 5, 1967. Once Jordan andSyria initiated the fighting againstIsrael, the war also includedthose countries. In the course ofthe war, the Israeli forcesreached the Suez Canal, andcaptured the territories of Judeaand Samaria, as well as theGolan Heights – from which theSyrians had shelled Israel.

Mediterranean Sea

Beer Sheba

Tel AvivJaffa

Haifa

Jerusalem

Lebanon

Syria

Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Red Sea

SinaiPeninsula

Egypt

SuezCanal

Eilat

Samaria

Judea

GolanHeights

Gulfof

Suez

Gulfof

Eilat

Israeli territorybefore Six Day War

Under Israeli controlafter Six Day War

Gaza

0 40 km

40 mi0

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NeveYaakov

RamatEshkol

Ramot

EastTalpiot

Gilo

Israel-Jordan ArmisticeLine, 1949 - 1967

Jerusalem MunicipalBoundary after Six Day War

Major Jewish suburbs sinceSix Day War

Old City

JewishQuarter

City Center

Talbieh

German Colony

Talpiot

Yad Vashem

Mt. Herzl

Beit Hakerem

Sanhedria

Knesset

MeaShearim

Mt.Scopus

FrenchHill

HarHoma

Malcha

PisgatZeev

Har Nof

00 1 km

1 m00

Dome ofthe Rock

Al-AksaMosque

TempleMount

Damascus Gate

Jaffa Gate

Dung Gate

Zion Gate

Mount Zion

City of David

Golden Gate

Lion’s Gate

Herod’sGate

Dome ofthe Rock

Al-AMos

TempleMount

Herod’sGate

Al-AksaMosque

Dung Gat

City of Da

Damascus Gate

MoslemQuarter

JewishQuarter

ChristianQuarter

WesternWall

Church ofthe HolySepulchre

NewGate

0

0

.5 km

.5 m

Cardo

Zion Gate

ArmenianQuarter

Citadel

Tower of David

Mt. ofOlives

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(1967)OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

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A few days after the end of theSix Day War, on June 27, 1967,the Israeli Parliament passed alaw that Israeli administrationand jurisdiction apply to all theterritory of Jerusalem acquiredin the war. The following day,the Jerusalem municipalboundaries were extended toinclude eastern Jerusalem, aswell as Atarot and Neve Yaakovin the north, and Gilo in thesouth.

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YOM KIPPUR WARCEASE-FIRE LINES

(OCTOBER 24, 1973)

The Yom Kippur War began on October 6, 1973when the combined armies of Egypt and Syria attackedIsrael in the Suez Canal area and the Golan Heights.After a few days of hard fighting in which Egyptestablished itself on the eastern side of the Suez Canaland the Syrians captured most of the Golan Heights,the attack was halted and a counter-attack by IDFforces succeeded in pushing back some of the Egyptianforces, crossed the Canal and reached within 101kilometers of Cairo. On the Golan Heights, the Syrianforces were repulsed completely and IDF forcescaptured an enclave in the northern Heights deep inSyrian territory, as well as recapturing Mount Hermon.

A cease-fire agreement was signed by Israel and Egypton October 24, 1973. A separation-of- forcesagreement was signed on January 18, 1974 in whichthe sides agreed to observe the cease-fire, madearrangements for the reduction of forces andestablished a UN emergency force in the demilitarizedzone. Israeli forces withdrew to a distance of 20kilometers east of the Suez Canal, and the Egyptianarmy withdrew most of its forces to the west of theCanal.

MediterraneanSea

Beer Sheba

Tel AvivJaffa

Haifa

Jerusalem

Lebanon

Syria

Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Red Sea

SinaiPeninsula

Egypt

Eilat

Samaria

Judea

Gulfof

Suez

Gulfof

Eilat

Under Israeli controlafter Six Day War

Gaza

GolanHeights

Held by Egyptian Army

Held by Israeli Army

Israeli territorybefore Six Day War

SuezCanal

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40 mi0

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U.N. patrolled demilitarized zone

Previous forward line of IsraelDefense Forces

Rafid

Jubbata

Khan Erenbe

Jeba

Towns returned to Syria

Kafr Shams

Banyas

Safed

Tiberias

Sea ofGalilee

Kuneitra

Damascus

Under Israeli control after Six Day War

Mazraat Beit Jann

Syria

Lebanon

MediterraneanSea

Jordan

0 10 km

0 10 mi

Mt.Hermon

A disengagementagreement with Syriawas signed in Genevaon May 31, 1974, andincluded, inter alia, theestablishment of UNobservers in thedemilitarized zone,arrangements for aprisoner exchange, andIDF evacuation of theterritory it took in theYom Kippur War, aswell as the city ofKuneitra, which wascaptured in the Six DayWar.

Kafr Shams

Banyas

Syria

Lebanon

Jordan

MazraatBeit Jann

Sea ofGalilee

Safed

Tiberias

MediterraneanSea

Damascus

Kuneitra

0 10 km

0 10 mi

Held by Israel Defense Forcesafter Yom Kippur War

Under Israeli control afterSix Day War

Israeli - Syrian border as agreedon in 1923

Mt.Hermon

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GOLAN HEIGHTS

CEASE-FIRE LINES

(OCTOBER 1973)

ISRAEL-SYRIA

DISENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT

(MAY 1974)

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September 1975 in addition to the 1974separation-of-forces agreement followingthe Yom Kippur War. The main points ofthe agreement were: Israeli withdrawal inSinai to the eastern ends of the Mitla andGidi Passes; creation of a UN-monitoredbuffer zone in the evacuated area; turningthe previous buffer zone into Egyptianterritory; Israeli withdrawal from the oilfields at Abu Rudeis and Ras Sudar. It wasalso agreed to open the Suez Canal toIsraeli non-military cargo ships and toestablish American early-warning stations inthe area of the passes. The agreement wasperceived as an important step towards ajust and sustainable peace.

The Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty was signedon March 26,1979, following the CampDavid Accords of September 18,1978,which determined a framework for a peacetreaty between both countries.Theframework also set a timetable forestablishing diplomatic relations andnormalization between Israel and Egypt,aswell as a timetable for IDF withdrawal fromthe line beginning east of El-Arish andextending to Ras Mohamed. The peacetreaty tied up loose threads and includedfurther Israeli withdrawal to theinternational border between the two states.

INTERIM AGREEMENT

WITH EGYPT

(1975)

PEACE TREATY WITH EGYPT

AND SINAI REDEPLOYMENT

(1980 – 1982)

26

ISRAEL’S DISENGAGEMENT PLAN (2005)

NORTHERN SAMARIA

Area A: Full Palestinian Control

Area C: Former Israeli Control

Former Israeli Community

Palestinian Community

Pre-1967 cease-fire-lines

GAZA STRIP

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In August 2005, Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip, and from foursettlements in northern Samaria. This action, initiated by PrimeMinister Sharon and endorsed by the Knesset, was an Israeli initiativedesigned to end the stalemate in the peace process after more thanfour years of terrorist bloodshed. Altogether 25 settlements wereremoved. This entailed a considerable sacrifice on the part of thenearly 9000 residents who had to leave their homes and livelihoodsthat they had built over the course of several decades. It alsodemonstrated Israel’s readiness to make major concessions for thesake of peace.

Following disengagement, the Gaza Strip is under Palestinianjurisdiction. This constitutes a practical test of the PalestinianAuthority’s intentions regarding peaceful coexistence. It couldcontribute to the renewal of peace talks and to the establishment of aPalestinian state alongside Israel as envisaged by the Roadmap,provided the Palestinians fulfill their obligations to end terrorism andincitement. However, the Hamas election victory in January 2006undermines this possibility.

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ISRAEL AND THE REGION

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ISRAEL (WITHIN

BOUNDARIES AND

CEASE-FIRE LINES)

Israel stands at the crossroads ofEurope, Asia and Africa.Geographically, it belongs to theAsian continent. Its westernborder is the Mediterranean Sea.To the north it is bound byLebanon and Syria, to the eastby Jordan and to the south bythe Red Sea and Egypt. Longand narrow in shape, Israel isabout 290 miles (470 km.) longand 85 miles (135 km.) across atits widest point. The total areaof the State of Israel is 22,145sq. km., of which 21,671 sq. km.is land area.

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JERUSALEM OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM

Jerusalem, thecapital of Israel, islocated in the heartof the country,nestled among theJudean Hills. Thecity's ancientstones, imbuedwith millennia ofhistory, and itsnumerous historicalsites, shrines andplaces of worshipattest to its meaningfor Jews,Christians andMuslims.