Judea and Samaria Area
Disputed territory: West Bank under mixed Israeli military/Palestinian Authority control, Oslo Accords A/B/C zone division, distinct from Israel's 6 districts
The Judea and Samaria Area is a distinct administrative zone covering the West Bank territory—not one of Israel's six statutory administrative districts but a separate governing framework under military administration since 1967. The territory's status is the subject of ongoing international dispute, with Palestinians claiming it for a future state and Israel maintaining varying degrees of administrative and military control across different areas (designated A, B, and C under the Oslo Accords). Israeli civilian settlements operate under Israeli civil law administered by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, while Palestinian areas are governed by the Palestinian Authority in designated zones. This complex administrative overlay creates a governance patchwork unlike any of Israel's other districts, with multiple legal systems operating in geographic proximity. The territory contains sites of historical and religious significance to Judaism including Hebron, Bethlehem, and ancient Samaria.