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Palestinian National Authority
 
[flag of
                                  All-Palestine Government, 1948]
    22 Sep 1948 - 1959 All-Palestine Government Flag
[Palestinian flag 1964-2006]
     Adopted 1 Dec 1964 by PLO as Flag of Palestine 
[Palestinian flag]                        Adopted 17 Feb 2006
Palestinian Authority Map
Hear National Anthem
"Fida'i" (Revolutionary)
Text of National Anthem
Adopted 1972
Palestinian National Charter
 (17 Jul 1968)
Headquarters: Ramallah
Seat of Legislature: Gaza City
(declared capital: East Jerusalem)
Currencies: Jordanian Dinar
(JOD); New Israeli Shekel
(ILS) 
National Holiday: 15 Nov (1988)
Independence Day
(National Day)
Population:
West Bank: 2,676,740 (2013)¹
Gaza Strip: 1,763,387 (2013)²
GDP: $8.02 billion (2011)
(includes Gaza Strip)

Exports: $666.1 million (2010)
(includes Gaza Strip)
Imports: $5.47 billion (2011)
(includes Gaza Strip)
Ethnic groups: Gaza Strip: Palestinian
Arab and others 99.4%;
West Bank: Palestinian Arab and other 83%, 
Jewish 17% 
Total Police and Security Forces (West Bank): 56,000 (2010)
UNTSO force: 153 (2013)
Merchant marine: None (2010)
Religions:  Gaza Strip: Muslim (predominantly Sunni)
99.3%, Christian 0.7%;
West Bank: Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni),
Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
International Organizations/Treaties PLO/Palestine: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, Arabsat, AU (observer), CAEU, CICA, G-77, GAFTA, IAEA (observer), ICAO (observer), ICC, ICCt (observer), ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, ILO (observer), IOC, IPU, ISESCO, ISO (correspondent), ITU (observer), ITUC, NAM, OIC, PAM, UN (observer), UNCLOS (observer), UNCTAD (observer), UNESCO, UNIDO (observer), UPU (observer), UNRWA (observer), UNWTO (observer), WFTU, WHO (observer), WIPO (observer), WMO (observer)
Palestinian
National
Authority
Index
Chronology

23 Aug 1516                Palestine part of the Ottoman Empire.
26 Sep 1918                British occupation (Palestine).
14 Jul 1922                Palestine League of Nations mandate under 
                             Britain (see Israel).
29 Nov 1947                United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine
                             approves the creation of independent Arab and
                             Jewish states.
14 May 1948                Following the establishment of Israel in most of
                             historic Palestine and a subsequent Arab-Israeli
                             war, the remaining territory is taken over by
                             Jordan (which annexes the West Bank) and Egypt
                             (which administers the Gaza Strip).
22 Sep 1948 - 1959         All-Palestine Government formed; recognized
                             15 Oct 1948 only by Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi 
                             Arabia and Syria; dissolved by Egypt in 1959.
 1 Oct 1948                All-Palestine Government declares Palestine
                             independent with capital at Jerusalem.
24 Apr 1950                Jordan annexes the West Bank and East Jerusalem
                             (occupied since May 1948).
 2 Nov 1956 -  7 Mar 1957  Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula occupied by Israel.
10 Mar 1957 - 1957         Gaza Strip under interim UN administration
                             (United Nations Emergency Forces [UNEF]).
6/12 Jun 1967              West Bank (Jordan) and Gaza Strip (Egypt
                             occupied by Israel.
25 Sep 1969                Organization of the Islamic Conference admits 
                             Palestine, represented by the PLO.
10 Nov 1975                Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) granted 
                             permanent observer status in the United Nations.
 9 Sep 1976                Palestine Liberation Organization admitted as
                             a member of Arab League.
31 Jul 1988                Jordan abandons claims to West Bank.
15 Nov 1988                Palestine Liberation Organization proclaims the
                             State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza
                             Strip (remains ineffective, but receives wide
                             diplomatic recognition)
 4 May 1994                Palestinian Authority created to administer most
                             of Gaza Strip and parts of West Bank (Jericho
                             area handed over 13 May 1994, Gaza Strip 18 May
                             1994, Jenin 13 Nov 1995, Tulkarem 10 Dec 1995,
                             Nablus 11 Dec 1995, Qalqiliya 16 Dec 1995,
                             Bethlehem 21 Dec 1995, Ramallah 27 Dec 1995, 
                             80% of Hebron 17 Jan 1997).
12 Mar 2002 - 23 Mar 2002  Israeli forces occupy Palestinian Authority 
                             areas.
29 Mar 2002 - 10 May 2002  Israeli forces occupy Palestinian Authority
                             areas.
12 Sep 2005                Israel withdraws settlements from the Gaza Strip.
14 Jun 2007 -              Hamas forces seize control of the Gaza Strip.
29 Nov 2012                Palestine granted non-member observer state status
                             in the United Nations.
 6 Jan 2013                Palestinian Authority renamed State of Palestine
                             (move is not recognized by Israel).

East Jerusalem
Mayors
State of Palestine
Gaza Strip
West Bank
UNEF
(1956-1967)
Diplomatic
Recognition List

Map of 1947
UN Partition Plan

Map of Palestinian
Refugee Camp
Map of Old Israeli
Settlements in
Gaza Strip
Map of Israeli
Settlements in
West Bank
Map of East
Jerusalem

Map of Israeli
Land Restrictions
in West Bank
and Gaza Strip

 

Note: The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is an autonomous national entity comprising the territories of Gaza (formerly under Egyptian sovereignty) and West Bank (formerly under Jordan sovereignty), which were occupied by the Israeli Defense Forces in Jun 1967. As provided by the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles signed on 13 Sep 1993 and upon the Agreement signed on 4 May 1994, the PNA was inaugurated on 5 Jul 1994 as a transitional status including Palestinian interim self-governing and a phased transfer of powers and territories (towns and areas of the West Bank). Negotiations on the permanent status, which could end in a Palestinian State, are under way.

Chairmen of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee 
10 Jun 1964 - 24 Dec 1967  Ahmad ash-Shukeiri                 (b. 1907 - d. 1980)
24 Dec 1967 -  2 Feb 1969  Yahya Hammuda                      (b. 1908 - d. 2006)
 2 Feb 1969 - 11 Nov 2004  Yasser Arafat                      (s.a.)               Fatah
                            (Abd ar-Rahman Abd ar-Rauf al-Qudwah al-Husayni)
                            (in exile in Jordan to Apr 1971; Lebanon 1971 -
                             Dec 1982; and Tunis Dec 1982 - May 1994)
29 Oct 2004 -              Mahmoud Ridha Abbas                (s.a.)               Fatah
                             (acting [for Arafat] to 11 Nov 2004) 
 

President of the Supreme Council
22 Sep 1948 - 1955         Haji Muhammad Amin al-Husseini     (b. 1896 - d. 1974)
                             (in Cairo, Egypt)
Presidents of the Palestinian Authority
 5 Jul 1994 - 11 Nov 2004  Yasser Arafat ("Abu Ammar")        (b. 1929 - d. 2004)  Fatah/PLO
                             (Israeli detainee in Ramallah 29 Mar - 1 May 2002,
                             5-6 Jun 2002, 20-29 Sep 2002, Jan 2003 - 29 Oct 2004)
29 Oct 2004 - 11 Nov 2004  Ahmed Qureia ("Abu Ala")           (b. 1937)            Fatah/PLO
                             (acting for Arafat)
11 Nov 2004 - 15 Jan 2005  Rauhi Fattouh (acting)             (b. 1953)            PLO 
15 Jan 2005 -              Mahmoud Ridha Abbas ("Abu Mazen")  (b. 1935)            Fatah/PLO

Prime ministers
 1 Oct 1948 - 1959         Ahmad Abdul Baqi Hilmi             (b. 1878 - d. 1963)
                             (in Gaza; from Nov 1948 in Cairo, Egypt)
30 Apr 2003 -  7 Oct 2003  Mahmoud Ridha Abbas                (s.a.)               Fatah/PLO
                             (designated on 19 Mar 2003)
 7 Oct 2003 - 15 Dec 2005  Ahmed Qureia (1st time)            (s.a.)               Fatah/PLO
15 Dec 2005 - 24 Dec 2005  Nabil Shaath (acting)              (b. 1938)            Fatah/PLO
24 Dec 2005 - 29 Mar 2006  Ahmed Qureia (2nd time)            (s.a.)               Fatah/PLO
29 Mar 2006 - 14 Jun 2007  Ismail Haniya                      (b. 1963)            Hamas
                             (from 15 Jun 2007, in rebellion in Gaza Strip)
17 Jun 2007 -  6 Jun 2013  Salam Fayyad                       (b. 1952)            TWP
 6 Jun 2013 -              Rami Hamdallah                     (b. 1958)            Fatah


State of Palestine

[State of Palestine flag]

Presidents
 2 Apr 1989 - 11 Nov 2004  Yasir Arafat                       (s.a.)
 8 May 2005 -              Mahmoud Abbas                      (s.a.)
                             (acting to 23 Nov 2008)


Coordinators of Government Activities in the Territories (Israeli military administrators)
Aug 1967 - Apr 1974        Shlomo Gazit                       (b. 1926)
Apr 1974 - Feb 1976        Rafael Vardi                       (b. 1922)
Feb 1976 - Feb 1979        Avraham Orli                       (b. 1930 - d. 1981)
Feb 1979 - Jan 1982        Danny Matt                         (b. 1927 - d. 2013)
Jan 1982 - Aug 1983        Rehavia Vardi                      (b. 1923 - d. 2006)
Aug 1983 - Apr 1984        Binyamin Ben-Eliezer               (b. 1936)
Apr 1984 - Feb 1991        Shmuel Goren            
Feb 1991 - Feb 1995        Danny Rothschild                   (b. 1946)
Feb 1995 - Feb 1997        Oren Shachor                       (b. 1946)
Feb 1997 - Jul 2001        Yaakov Or                          (b. 1946)
Jul 2001 - Jul 2003        Amos Gilad (1st time)              (b. 1951)
Jul 2003 - Sep 2008        Yosef Mishlav                      (b. 1952)
Sep 2008 -  6 Dec 2009     Amos Gilad (2nd time)              (s.a.)
 6 Dec 2009 -              Eitan Dangot

Gaza Strip

Egyptian Military Vice-governors (from 1952, Governors-general) of Gaza Strip
27 May 1948 - 19..         Mustafa al-Sawaf
19.. - 19..                Mohamed Rashad Danesh
c.1953 - c.1955            Abdullah Rifat
19.. -  2 Nov 1956         Fuad al-Dijani
                             (Israeli prisoner from 2 Nov 1956)
 2 Nov 1956 - Mar 1957     Matti Peled                        (b. 1923 - d. 1995)
                             (Israeli military governor)
Mar 1957 - 19..            Mohamed Hassan Abd el-Latif
c.1959 - 1961              Ahmed Salem
1961 - 30 Apr 1966         Yousef Abdullah al-Agrudi
30 Apr 1966 -  6 Jun 1967  Mohammed Abdul Moneim Huseini
Israeli Military Governors of Gaza Strip
(commanders of Israeli Southern Command; also military governors of the Sinai 1967-1982)
 6 Jun 1967 - 1969         Yeshayahu Gavish                   (b. 1925)
1969 - 15 Jul 1973         Ariel Sharon                       (b. 1928 - d. 2014)
15 Jul 1973 - 1973         Shmuel Gonen                       (b. 1930 - d. 1991)
1973                       Chaim Bar-Lev                      (b. 1924 - d. 1994)
  8 Nov 1973 - 14 Jan 1974 Israel Tal                         (b. 1924 - d. 2010)
1974                       Avraham Adan                       (b. 1926)
Jul 1974 - Mar 1976        Yekutiel Adam                      (b. 1927 - d. 1982)
Mar 1976 - 1978            Herzl Shapir                       (b. 1929)
1978 - 1982                Dan Shomron                        (b. 1937 - d. 2008)
1982 - 1983                Chaim Erez                         (b. 1935)
1983 - Mar 1986            Moshe Bar-Kochba                   (b. 1930 - d. 1992)
1986                       Uri Sagi                           (b. 1943)
1986 - 1989                Yitzhak Mordechai                  (b. 1944)
1989 - 1994                Matan Vilnai                       (b. 1944)
1994 - 1996                Shaul Mofaz                        (b. 1948)
1996 - Aug 1997            Shlomo Yanai                       (b. 1952)
Sep 1997 - 2000            Yom-Tov Samia                      (b. 1954)
2000 - 2003                Doron Almog                        (b. 1951)
2003 - 12 Sep 2005         Dan Harel                          (b. 1955)

West Bank

Jordanian Military Governors of West Bank
12 May 1948 - 1949         Masri Hikmat                       (b. 1906 - d. 1994)
Sep 1949 - 1950            Raghib al-Nashashibi               (b. 1881 - d. 1951)
                             (governor-general of Arab Palestine)
Israeli Military Governors of West Bank (Judea and Samaria)
(commanders of Israeli Central Command)
Jun 1967 - Jul 1968        Uzi Narkis                         (b. 1925 - d. 1997)
Jul 1968 - 1973            Rehavam Ze'evi                     (b. 1926 - d. 2001)
Sep 1973 - 1977            Yona Efrat                         (b. 1926 - d. 1993)
1977 - 1978                Moshe Levi                         (b. 1936 - d. 2008)
1978 - 1981                Binyamin Ben-Eliezer               (b. 1936)
1981 - 1983                Uri Or                             (b. 1939)
1983 - 1986                Amnon Lipkin-Shahak                (b. 1944 - d. 2012)
Jan 1986 - 1987            Ehud Barak                         (b. 1942)
1987 - 1989                Amram Mitzna                       (b. 1945)
1989 - 1991                Yitzhak Mordechai                  (b. 1944)
1991 - 1993                Danny Yatom (1st time)             (b. 1945)
1993 - 12 Jan 1994         Nehemiah Tamari                    (b. 1946 - d. 1994)
Jan 1994 - Apr 1994        Danny Yatom (2nd time)(acting)     (s.a.)
Apr 1994 - 1996            Ilan Birn                          (b. 1946)
1996 - 1998                Uzi Dayan                          (b. 1948)
1998 - 2000                Moshe Ya'alon                      (b. 1950)
Jul 2000 - 2002            Yitzhak Eitan                      (b. 1952)
Aug 2002 - 2004            Moshe Kaplinsky                    (b. 1957)
2004 - 2007                Yair Naveh                         (b. 1957)
31 May 2007 - 2009         Gadi Shamni                        (b. 1959)
Oct 2009 - Mar 2012        Avi Mizrahi                        (b. 1957)
Mar 2012 -                 Nitzan Alon                        (b. 1965) 

UNEF

Commanders of the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF)
(first in Suez Canal sector and Sinai Peninsula; later along Armistice 
Demarcation Line in Gaza area and international frontier in Sinai 
peninsula on the Egyptian side)
Nov 1956 - Dec 1959        E.L.M. Burns (Canada)              (b. 1897 - d. 1985)
                             (from 10 Mar 1957 in Gaza)
Dec 1959 - Jan 1964        Prem Singh Gyani (India)           (b. 1910 - d. ....)
Jan 1964 - 12 Sep 1964     Carlos Flores de Paiva Chaves      (b. 1901 - d. 1966)
                             (Brazil)
12 Sep 1964 - Feb 1965     Lazar Musicki (Yugoslavia)
                             (acting)
Feb 1965 - Jan 1966        Syseno Sarmento (Brazil)
Jan 1966 - 17 Jun 1967     Indar Jit Rikhye (India)           (b. 1920 - d. 2007)

  ¹Approximately 341,400 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank (2012); approximately 196,400 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2011).

 ²until Aug 2005 there were more than 6,959 (2001) Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip.

Territorial Disputes: Israel along with U.S. and several other states protest the Arab League and 134 nations' recognition of Palestine's declaration of independence of 15 Nov 1988; West Bank is Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli - Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in Aug 2005; the status of the Gaza Strip is a final status issue to be resolved through negotiations; Israel removed settlers and military personnel from Gaza Strip in Aug 2005; since 1948, peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region.

Party abbreviations: Fatah = Harakat al-Tahrar al-Filistini (Liberation Movement of Palestine, Palestinian nationalist, social-democratic, secular, est.1965); Hamas = Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah (Islamic Resistance Movement, islamic fundamentalist, est.1987); PLO = Munazzamat at-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah (Palestinian Liberation Organization, umbrella group for Palestinian liberation movements, includes Fatah, est.1964); TWP = al-Tariq al-Thalith (The Third Way, centrist, est.2005)









© Ben Cahoon