The West Bank is a contested region in the Middle East largely under Israeli control. Also known as Judea and Samaria, the name "West Bank" specifically refers to it being along the western bank of the Jordan River.
Israel took control of the area from Jordan in 1967 following the Six Day War, but has not annexed it. While home to hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers living in different settlements, the West Bank also has a huge Palestinian population and is the bulk of what most people envision as a future Palestinian state.
The status of Israeli settlements is highly controversial and while they are defended by Israel and the US, most of the international community sees them as illegal.
