Jordanian annexation of the West Bank

Quick Facts: Who was Jordanian annexation of the West Bank?

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Jordanian annexation of the West Bank

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Jordanian administration of the West Bank, spanning from 1950 until its loss in 1988.

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Origins & Early Life

The Jordanian administration of the West Bank officially began on 24 April 1950, and ended with the decision to sever ties on 31 July 1988. The period started during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, when Transjordan occupied and subsequently annexed the portion of Mandatory Palestine that became known as the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The territory remained under Jordanian control until it was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and eventually Jordan renounced its claim to the territory in 1988. During the December 1948 Jericho Conference, hundreds of Palestinian notables in the West Bank gathered, accepted Jordanian rule and recognized King Abdullah I as ruler. The West Bank was formally annexed on 24 April 1950, but the annexation was widely considered as illegal and void by most of the international community, including the Arab League, which ultimately decided to treat Jordan as a temporary trustee pending future settlement.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Recognition of Jordan's declaration of annexation was granted only by the United Kingdom, Iraq, and possibly Pakistan. The United States while avoiding public approval, also recognized this extension of Jordanian sovereignty, except for Jerusalem. When Jordan transferred its full citizenship rights to the residents of the West Bank, the annexation more than tripled the population of Jordan, going from 400,000 to 1,300,000. The naturalized Palestinians were given half of the seats of the Jordanian parliament. Prior to hostilities in 1948, Mandatory Palestine (modern-day West Bank, Gaza Strip and Israel) had been administered by the British Empire pursuant to the Mandate for Palestine, having captured it from the Ottomans in 1917.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The British, as custodians of the land, implemented the land tenure laws in Palestine, which it had inherited from the Ottomans (as defined in the Ottoman Land Code of 1858). Toward the expiration of the British Mandate, Arabs aspired to independence and self-determination, as did the Jews of the country. On 29 November 1947 the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 181 which envisaged the division of Palestine into three parts: an Arab State, a Jewish State and the City of Jerusalem. The proposed Arab State would include the central and part of western Galilee, with the town of Acre, the hill country of Samaria and Judea, an enclave at Jaffa, and the southern coast stretching from north of Isdud (now Ashdod) and encompassing what is now the Gaza Strip, with a section of desert along the Egyptian border. The proposed Jewish State would include the fertile Eastern Galilee, the Coastal Plain, stretching from Haifa to Rehovot and most of the Negev desert.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1858: 1858 Milestone — The British, as custodians of the land, implemented the land tenure laws in Palestine, which it had inherited from the Ottomans (as defined in the Ottoman Land Code of 1858).
2. 1947: 1947 Milestone — On 29 November 1947 the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 181 which envisaged the division of Palestine into three parts: an Arab State, a Jewish State and the City of Jerusalem.
3. 1948: 1948 Milestone — The period started during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, when Transjordan occupied and subsequently annexed the portion of Mandatory Palestine that became known as the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
4. 1950: 1950 Milestone — The Jordanian administration of the West Bank officially began on 24 April 1950, and ended with the decision to sever ties on 31 July 1988.
5. 1967: 1967 Milestone — The territory remained under Jordanian control until it was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and eventually Jordan renounced its claim to the territory in 1988.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Jordanian annexation of the West Bank

True or False: “The international community universally recognized the Jordanian annexation of the West Bank as legitimate immediately after 1950.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Most of the international community, including the Arab League, widely considered the annexation illegal and void.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdullah Gül — Historical peer (Born in 1950) (1950): Turkish politician who served as President (2007-2014) and Prime Minister.
• Agnes Smedley — Historical peer (Died in 1950) (1950): American journalist and activist supporting Indian Independence and Chinese Communism.
• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• A. Wyatt Tilby — Historical peer (Died in 1948) (1948): British author, journalist, and traveler known for his writings on history and philosophy.
• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Historical peer (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Akshay Kumar — Historical peer (Born in 1967) (1967): Veteran Indian actor and producer, celebrated for action roles and prolific career.
• Albert Luthuli — Historical peer (Died in 1967) (1967): Pioneering anti-apartheid activist and leader of the ANC in South Africa.
• Abdullah al-Sallal — Historical peer (Born in 1917) (1917): Yemeni military officer and revolutionary who led the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962.
• Adolf von Baeyer — Historical peer (Died in 1917) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.

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