Israel’s Narrow Waist

MAP 14

M E D I T E R R A N E A N

S E A

J O R D A N

SAMARIA SAMARIA

JUDEA JUDEA

DEAD SEA DEAD SEA

10 km 10 km

15 km 15 km

18 km 18 km

6 km 6 km

17 km 17 km

11 km 11 km

16 km 16 km

Afula Afula

Netanya Netanya

Tel Aviv-Jaffa Tel Aviv-Jaffa

Ben Gurion Airport Ben Gurion Airport

Jerusalem Jerusalem

Ashkelon Ashkelon

Beer Sheba Beer Sheba

Jenin Jenin

Tulkarm Tulkarm

Nablus Nablus

Kalkilya Kalkilya

Hebron Hebron

Ariel Ariel

Givat Zeev Givat Zeev

Modiin Illit Modiin Illit

Maale Adumim Maale Adumim

Beitar Illit Beitar Illit

Efrat Efrat

Kiryat Arba Kiryat Arba

Ramallah Ramallah

Beit Hanoun Beit Hanoun

L E G E N D

Israel, 1949 lines

Jordan-held, now Area C

Jordan-held, now Area B

Jordan-held, now Area A

Egypt-held

Israeli city, 1949 lines

Israeli community

Arab city

Distance to the line

N

20 km

12 mi

North at top. Distances are approximate and measured to the 1949 armistice lines.

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HISTORICAL MAPS

MAP 14 Israel’s Narrow Waist

1949 to 1967

Between the years 1949 and 1967, the Kingdom of Jordan ruled the Judea and Samaria highlands. Israel’s ‘waistline’ in the Sharon region was extremely narrow, totaling a mere 15 km (9 mi.) between Tulkarm and Netanya.

These were cease-fire lines rather than permanent borders, considered to be militarily indefensible, especially in light of the area’s topography, which left Israel in the plains while the Arab armies and terror factions, controlled the dominating high ground.

The Israeli Foreign Minister at that time, Abba Eban, used to describe these lines as ‘Auschwitz boundaries’.

DISTANCES TO THE LINES

Netanya to Tulkarm The narrowest point, about 15 km (9 mi).

Afula About 10 km (6 mi) from the line.

Tel Aviv About 18 km (11 mi) from the line.

Ben Gurion About 6 km (4 mi) from the line.

Ashkelon About 11 km (7 mi) from the line.

Beer Sheba About 16 km (10 mi) from the line.

Jerusalem corridor About 17 km (10 mi) wide.

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