what is west bank in israel

The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediterranean in the Levant region of Western Asia that forms the main bulk of the Palestinian territories. It is bordered by Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east and by Israel to the south, west, and north. The West Bank includes East Jerusalem, which is considered by international law as part of the West Bank, with East Jerusalem being claimed as the capital by both Israelis and Palestinians. Israel administers the West Bank excluding East Jerusalem as the Judea and Samaria Area district, through the Israeli Civil Administration. The West Bank was part of the former British-mandated territory of Palestine west of the Jordan River, claimed from 1949 to 1988 as part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan but occupied from 1967 by Israel. The West Bank is a region with deep history, forming the heart of historic Palestine. The West Banks Palestinian residents, excluding those living in East Jerusalem, fall under the partial jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, which is operating with an expired presidential mandate and has no functioning legislature.