Administrative divisions of the Oslo Accords
The Oslo Accords created three temporary distinct administrative divisions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip until a final status accord would be established. The areas are not contiguous within each other but rather distributed depending on the different population areas as well as Israeli military requirements.
- Area 'A' (17.2 percent of the West Bank) - full civil and security control by the Palestinian Authority. This area includes all Palestinian cities and their surrounding areas, with no Israeli settlements. Entry into this area is forbidden to all Israeli citizens. The Israel Defense Forces maintain no presence, but sometimes conducts raids to arrest suspected militants.[1]
- Area 'B' (23.8 percent of the West Bank) - Palestinian civil control and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control. Includes areas of many Palestinian towns and villages and areas, with no Israeli settlements.[1]
- Area 'C' (59 percent of the West Bank) - Full Israeli civil and security control, except over Palestinian civilians. These areas include all Israeli settlements (cities, towns, and villages), land in the vicinity of these localities, most roadways that connected the settlements (and which Israelis are now restricted to) as well as strategic areas described as "security zones."[1]
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[edit] Violation of Accords
Area B is defined as land under Palestinian civil control and Israeli military control. Israeli settlers have, according to Dror Etkes, violated the accords by spreading into Area B, and seizing private Palestinian land for cultivation and settlement in acts of 'unbridled thievery'. Examples cited are the Amona settlement, overlooking Ofra, where land belonging to villagers of Deir Dibwan has been taken for redevelopment: the settlement of Itamar has seized control of land and resources belonging to the Area B villages of Yanun, Awarta and Einabus: Settlers have seized Area B land near Esh Kodesh and Mitzpeh Ahiya east of Shiloh: settlers of Ma'ale Rehav'am have built in a nature reserve established under the Wye River Memorandum.[2]
[edit] Religious Sites
The Palestinian side (later to become the Palestinian National Authority) agreed to ensure free access to a specific list of Jewish religious sites located in Areas 'A' and 'B' as specified in the 1995 Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,[3] but due to the uncertain security situation, the Israel Defense Forces limits visits by Jews to rare occasions. Israelis are also no longer allowed into the Gaza Strip.
In Area 'C', Palestinians were given the right to visit al-Maghtas on the Jordan River.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Gvirtzman, Haim (February 08, 1998). "Maps of Israeli Interests in Judea and Samaria Determining the Extent of the Additional Withdrawals". http://www.biu.ac.il/Besa/books/maps.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
- ^ Akiva Eldar West Bank outposts spreading into Area B, in violation of Oslo Accords,' at Haaretz 19 February, 2012.
- ^ Interim Agreement Annex III: Protocol Concerning Civil Affairs.
[edit] External links
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