Green Line (Israel)

The Green Line, or 1949 Armistice border, is the line set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between the armies of Israel and its neighbors (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria) after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. It served as the actual borders of Israel from 1949 until the Six-Day War in 1967. Today, it represents Israel’s internationally recognized borders with the Palestinian territories: the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip borders Egypt, while the West Bank borders Jordan.

The Green Line was meant to be a temporary line, not a permanent border. The armistice agreements made it clear that these lines were not setting final borders. For example, the agreement with Egypt stated that the line was not to be seen as a political or territorial boundary. Similar statements were in the agreements with Jordan and Syria. The agreement with Lebanon was treated as the official border between Israel and Lebanon.

The Green Line is often called the "pre-1967 borders" or the "1967 borders" by many international groups and leaders, including former U.S. president Barack Obama and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. The name comes from the green ink used to draw the line on maps during the armistice talks. After the Six-Day War, the areas Israel captured beyond the Green Line became known as East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights. These areas are often called Israeli-occupied territories. The Sinai Peninsula, also captured at that time, was later returned to Egypt as part of the 1979 peace treaty.

History

The Green Line marks the lines drawn after a war in 1948 to separate Israeli forces from their neighbors. These lines were not meant to be permanent borders, but they were important for many years. Special United Nations groups watched over these lines to make sure no one crossed them without permission.

In 1967, Israel took control of areas beyond these lines during another war. Even though Israel said these lines didn’t matter legally, they still played an important role. Areas beyond the Green Line were treated differently by Israel and were not fully part of Israel’s systems. Some areas were managed by Israeli military forces or a group called the Palestinian Authority.

There have been some exceptions, like parts of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, where Israel made different rules. However, many countries and the United Nations did not agree with these changes.

Impact

The Green Line runs through areas with many people living close together. It was drawn based on where fighting stopped in 1948, but it often cut through towns and villages, separating families and farmers from their land. Because of this, the line was moved a little in some places to help people travel.

Jerusalem was split into two parts: East and West. Some villages also ended up partly on one side and partly on the other. After Israel won the Six-Day War in 1967, they built settlements beyond the Green Line. Some Israelis feel these settlements are important for safety, while others think they cost too much and make peace harder.

Most Palestinian Arabs on the Israeli side of the line either left or were forced to go during the 1948 war. Those who stayed became Israeli citizens. In 1967, Israel took control of areas beyond the Green Line where many Palestinian Arabs lived. In 1981, Israel extended its laws to the Golan Heights, which many saw as a way to take control of the area.

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

In a speech, a US leader said that any changes to old borders should be small and for safety reasons only. Many people agree that Israel should go back to its old borders, as shown in votes and a special declaration.

The Palestinians were not part of making these old borders and did not accept some rules about them. Over time, many Palestinians have agreed to use the old borders for a new country. Some leaders in Palestine have offered to live peacefully with Israel using these borders, but many in Israel do not want to go back to the old borders because they worry about safety.

Physical and social perceptions of the Green Line

According to Hebrew University geographer Ilan Salomon, the Green Line can be seen from space using satellites. It is marked by pine forests planted by the Jewish National Fund to show where Israel's borders are. In a study from 2006, Salomon and Larissa Fleishman found that only a little more than one third of Israeli students could correctly place the Green Line on a map. They also discovered that students who supported left-leaning parties knew more about the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, could draw their shapes better, and understood more about how borders work.

Works

• At the Green Line