In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (Resolution 181) recommending the partition of British-mandated Palestine into two states: one for Jews and one for Arabs. The resolution called for the creation of a Jewish state on approximately 55% of the land, and an Arab state on the remaining 45%.
The Jewish leadership accepted the partition plan, but the Arab leadership rejected it.
In May 1948, after the British withdrew from Palestine, the Jewish leadership declared the establishment of the State of Israel. Several Arab countries invaded the newly declared state, leading to a war that lasted until 1949.
During the war and intervening years, Israel quickly expanded its territory to 78% through ethnic cleansing (Nakba) beyond the 55% designated for it by the United Nations partition plan. It also imposed a harsh military rule on the Palestinian minority in Israel (1948-67). Meanwhile, Jordan controlled the West Bank, while Egypt controlled the Gaza Strip.
Following the six-day war in 1967 which Israel decisively won, Israel not only controlled approximately 78% of historical Palestine, but began what is now known as the 56-year illegal occupation of West Bank, accounting for up to 22% of historical Palestine.
Now if one were to include Area B of the West Bank (accounting for 22% of the West Bank), an area jointly controlled by Palestine and Israel, land under Palestinian control whittles down to 5.22%, although technically, 2.78% (Area B) is jointly controlled by Israel and Palestinian Authority, so real Palestinian control stands at only 2.44%
Put simply, Palestine shrunk in size from 100% to 45% in 1948 when Israel was given the green light to form a state.
Israel has since usurped another 42.56% to bring land under semi-Palestinian control to 2.44%, stealing a confounding 94% extra land from the 45% portion reserved for Palestinians by the UN in 1948.
In exchange for stealing the extra 94% of land over the last 74 years, Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005 giving back approximately 2% of historical Palestine. This still means 4.44% instead of 45% of what was promised to Palestine, as part of UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 181, on 29 November 1947.
Put simply, Israel was supposed to get 55% while Palestinians were supposed to get 45% in 1948, as part of the partition plan.
Today however Israel has total control over 94.7% to 95.6%* of historical Palestine while Palestinians have semi-control over nowhere near 4.44%-7.22%* of historical Palestine.
Where is justice?
*Note: In fairness, we recognise the possibility of a margin of error of +/-3%.
The aim of our research is not to delegitimise Israel. Instead, our aim is to debunk the numberless lies that proliferate about Palestinians and publish evidence-backed facts about the illegal occupation of West Bank and Jerusalem and most notably about the debilitating Gaza blockade.