Area A
{{Infobox political division
| name = Area A
| native_name = منطقة أ
| other_name = שטח א
| settlement_type = West Bank area under the Oslo II Accord
| image_map = {{Infobox mapframe |frame-height=600 |zoom=9}}
| map_caption = The shaded areas represent Area A
| coordinates = {{coord|32|00|N|35|25|E|region:IL|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type =
| subdivision_name =
| established_title = Established
| established_date = 1995
| largest_settlement = Nablus ({{Palestine populations|Nablus}})
| ethnic_groups =
| area_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_estimate =
| population_estimate_year =
| currency = Israeli new shekel
Jordanian dinar
| currency_code =
}}
Area A ({{langx|ar|منطقة أ|minṭaqa alif}}; {{langx|he|שטח א|Shetakh A}}) is an area under the civil and security control of the Palestinian National Authority. It represents about 18% of the area and 55% of the population of the West Bank.{{Cite web |title=Area C: More than 60% of the occupied West Bank threatened by Israeli annexation |date=24 April 2013 |publisher=European Parliament |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/briefing_note/join/2013/491495/EXPO-AFET_SP(2013)491495_EN.pdf |archive-date=24 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324030437/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/briefing_note/join/2013/491495/EXPO-AFET_SP(2013)491495_EN.pdf }}
The largest cities in Area A include the following cities and their surroundings: Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, and 80% of Hebron. There are no Israeli settlements in Area A.{{Cite web |title=The Demise of the Oslo Process |date=26 March 1999 |publisher=Middle East Research and Information Project |url=https://merip.org/1999/03/the-demise-of-the-oslo-process/ |archive-date=3 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703081646/https://merip.org/1999/03/the-demise-of-the-oslo-process/ }}
History
During the first phase of the implementation of the Oslo Accords in 1995, Area A comprised 3% of the West Bank excluding East Jerusalem.{{Cite web |title=Ten maps to understand the occupied West Bank |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=16 September 2024 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/16/ten-maps-to-understand-the-occupied-west-bank |archive-date=5 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250605215637/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/16/ten-maps-to-understand-the-occupied-west-bank }}
In 1997, the Hebron Protocol divided the city of Hebron was divided into two areas: Area H1, representing approximately 80% of the city, was placed under Palestinian civil and security control (equivalent to Area A), while Area H2, representing the remaining 20%, was placed under Palestinian civil and Israeli security control (equivalent to Area B). H2, which is located in the central part of the city and includes the historic center, is home to approximately 40,000 Palestinians (19% of Hebron's population) and 850 Jewish settlers. Another 8,000 Jews live in Kiryat Arba on the outskirts of Hebron.{{Cite web |title=Leave No One Behind: A Perspective on Vulnerability and Structural Disadvantage in Palestine |year=2016 |publisher=United Nations |url=https://www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/default/files/common_country_analysis.pdf |archive-date=28 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828031542/https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/default/files/common_country_analysis.pdf }}
Since the start of the Second Intifada in October 2000, Israeli citizens have been completely banned from entering Area A, by order of the IDF's general command. However, the IDF has admitted that in practice, it only ensured that Israeli Jews complied with the ban, and that Israeli Arabs may enter Area A.{{Cite web |title=צה"ל מודה: ערבים נכנסים חופשי לשטחי A, יהודים לא |trans-title=IDF admits: Arabs enter Area A freely, Jews do not |date=12 June 2011 |publisher=Walla |url=https://news.walla.co.il/item/1831456 |archive-date=14 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314141819/https://news.walla.co.il/item/1831456 |language=he }}
During the Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, the Israeli military lifted the ban on military entry and temporarily reoccupied the area in order to suppress the Second Intifada. Following the end of the Second Intifada in 2005, Israel handed back the sectors of Area A that it controlled back to the Palestinian Authority. Israeli army first withdrew from Jericho,{{Cite web |title=Handover of West Bank town of Jericho begins |date=16 March 2005 |publisher=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/16/world/africa/handover-of-west-bank-town-of-jericho-begins.html |archive-date=7 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707212914/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/16/world/africa/handover-of-west-bank-town-of-jericho-begins.html }} followed by Tulkarm and Jenin soon afterwards.{{Cite web |title=Israel plans early transfer of West Bank town to PA |date=16 June 2005 |publisher=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/israel-plans-early-transfer-of-west-bank-town-to-pa-1.456299 |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118191851/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/israel-plans-early-transfer-of-west-bank-town-to-pa-1.456299 }}
Since then, the Israeli military has regularly entered the area, usually at night, to conduct raids to arrest those suspected of involvement in attacks.{{Cite web |title=Beitunian nights: The IDF in the West Bank |date=18 March 2016 |publisher=Ynet |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4780153,00.html |archive-date=22 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322230624/https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4780153,00.html }} Such raids are typically coordinated with Palestinian National Security Forces.{{Cite web |title=Palestinian Security Forces Deny IDF Troops Entry to Jenin |date=11 December 2016 |publisher=Ha'aretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-12-11/ty-article/palestinian-security-forces-deny-idf-troops-entry-to-jenin/0000017f-e184-d75c-a7ff-fd8da8ce0000 |archive-date=20 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520195826/https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2016-12-11/ty-article/palestinian-security-forces-deny-idf-troops-entry-to-jenin/0000017f-e184-d75c-a7ff-fd8da8ce0000 }} In recent years, there have been discussion of deepening security cooperation between the IDF and the PA despite lack of diplomatic progress.{{Cite web |title=Limiting Incursions in Area A: The Next Step for Israeli-Palestinian Security Coordination |publisher=Washington Institute for Near East Policy |date=20 April 2016 |url=https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/limiting-incursions-area-next-step-israeli-palestinian-security-coordination |archive-date=5 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250605221756/https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/limiting-incursions-area-next-step-israeli-palestinian-security-coordination }}
As of 2025, the entry of Israelis into Area A continue to be strictly prohibited by the IDF.{{Cite web |title=‘Area A’ prohibition is for Jews not just Israelis |publisher=Jerusalem Post |date=8 June 2025 |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-857007 |archive-date=8 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250608220906/https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-857007 }}