Since the United Nations proposed the 1947 Partition Plan for Palestine, the territories of Israel have undergone significant changes.
The UN plan aimed to create separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international administration. In 1948, Israel declared its independence, leading to a war with neighboring Arab states and the expansion of its territory beyond the UN-proposed boundaries.
The 1949 Armistice Agreements resulted in Israel gaining control over more land than it was initially allocated. The Six-Day War in 1967 was another pivotal time, during which Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights.
These territories presented complex geopolitical challenges, particularly the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which have been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982 as part of the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty and later from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
However, it maintained control over the West Bank and expanded settlements in the area, leading to ongoing disputes with the Palestinian Authority.
The territorial evolution of Israel remains a central issue in the broader Middle East conflict, with ongoing peace negotiations, tensions and the current war between Israel and Hamas.