Quantitatively (e.g. square kilometers) and graphically (e.g.
side-by-side maps) how does the size of each of Israel and Palestine
under the current "Roadmap" (please reference a specific agreement
such as Oslo Accords, or more probably something more recent) compare
with that under the UN Partition of 1947?

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Request for Question Clarification by peggy_bill-ga on 15 Jul 2003 10:04 PDT

Dear martine3,

I have been working on your question.  I have found appropriate map of
Israel and Palestine for several years between 1946 and 2001.  I have
also found their area in square kilometers as of 2001.  But, I can't
find a listed area for them in 1947.

Would this information be good enough to answer your question?

Thanks
PbA

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Clarification of Question by martine3-ga on 15 Jul 2003 12:42 PDT

Thanks for working on my question.  What you have wouldn't yet do it. 
I've seen a map based on the UN Partition in 1947 on the web (can't
remember where), so that would be your starting map.  Someone must
have made square kilometer or acreage calculations of Palestine and
Israel at that time because there are frequent criticisms along the
lines of "Israel got xx% of the land with yy% of the population and
Arabs got zz% of the land with qq% of the population."  They are
referring to the pre-partition size of Palestine.  So, there must be
quantitative measurements out there.  But it is important to get the
number (and the map) as of the UN Partition (the boundaries are laid
out in gory detail in the UN Resolution 181) not as of 1948, because
immediately upon Israel's independence the Arabs attacked and Israel
won more land in the cease-fire.

Also, there must be maps and calculations of area as of 2003, since
the roadmap to peace US is sponsoring is very, very specific in terms
of where the Israel-Palestine border will be.

Sorry its a bit challenging, but this was my first $20 questions (if
you look at my record with google -- not sure if you can -- you'll see
all my previous questions were $5 questions and I've been so satisfied
that I always gave a 100% tip).  If it is too hard, I do not mind if
you refer the question to one of the people who answered my previous,
albeit easier, questions.

I do appreciate your continuing efforts and offer of partial answer.
Martine

Hello Martine3-ga:

First of all I want to thank you for posting such an interesting
question as the research has helped in increasing my own knowledge.
Yes, it was very challenging to come out with a specific answer
because of the changes in the status of the occupied areas and Israeli
withdrawal and incursions. I tried to gather facts from different
resources, therefore be advised the contents of the resources (not the
geographical contents) may be biased.

SIZE OF THE ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN TERROTERIES IN 1947

The size of the Arab state according to the 1947 partition plan was
4,500 square miles (11655 square kilometers) and the size of the
Jewish state was roughly 5500 square miles (14245 square kilometers (
i ). The total land area of the land was 20,500 square kilometers ( ii
). That accounts for 54 percent of the land given to Jews and 46 to
Arabs in the newly erected divided area ( iii ) OR according to other
accounts, the land partition was, 56 percent to the Jews, 42 percent
to the Arabs while 2 percent of Jerusalem was considered an
international zone ( iv ).

Maps & Resources

 ( i ) Size of Territories in 1947 Partition Plan
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/partition_plan.html

 ( ii ) Total Land Area in 1947 Partition Plan
http://hnn.us/articles/728.html

( iii ) Percentage of Land in 1947 Partition Plan
http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0/e988f711909ea10049256d260004ef83?OpenDocument

( iv ) Size of Territories in 1947 Partition Plan
http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_independence_un_role.php

Other Maps & Resources for 1947 Partition Plan

Historical Maps of Israel, Palestine & its territories
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020325/map.html#
http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_maps.php
http://www.al-bab.com/arab/maps/palestine.htm

Comparison of 1947 and 2001 boundaries
http://www.fmep.org/maps/2001/taba.jpg

About the boundaries
http://www.afdg.org/spip/article.php3?id_article=45



SIZE OF ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN TERROTERIES ACCORDING TO OSLO
AGREEMENT AND INTERIM SETTLEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT

According to the interim process of Oslo Agreement, a Palestinian
Authority would consist of  Gaza and the West Bank. These territories
are known as occupied territories and Israel has limited control over
these.

The size of current Palestinian Authority consists of these two areas,
mainly Gaza strip and the West Bank. The size of the West Bank is 5690
square kilometers and the size of the Gaza strip is 365 square
kilometers ( i ). While the total size of the State of Israel
(Including Gaza and West Bank ) being 20,770 square kilometers ( ii ).

As of July 2000, 100 percent of the Golan Heights, 99 percent of the
Gaza Strip and 39.7 percent of the West Bank is under the control of
the Israeli Government ( iii ).

The current maps of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is based on Oslo
Agreement.

Maps & Resources

( i ) Geography and Size of Palestine
http://www.pnic.gov.ps/english/tourism/tour2.html

( ii ) Area of Israel CIA fact book
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/is.html

( iii ) Camp David II and the size of Palestinian Authority
http://www.adl.org/backgrounders/camp_david2.asp

**** Please consult Wikipedia for detailed information on Israel,
Gaza, West Bank and Golan Heights. (Map is based on Oslo Agreement )
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel

It is very difficult to come out with an exact size of the Israeli
occupied territories if you consider the recent withdrawal and
incursions of the Israeli forces from the Palestinian Occupied Areas.
For a complete description on Israeli occupied areas in West Bank and
Gaza, please consult:

Other Maps & Resources

Future Plans (Israeli Perspective)
http://www.israeltalk.org/israeltalk/history.htm

Change in size of Occupied Territories
http://www.iris.org.il/oslob.htm

I hope this will help you in coming out with a definite answer. Please
ask if you need further clarification. Good Luck.

Sincerely,
Leader-ga.

Excellent work and weblinks.