Basic Facts About Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Focus: Convention on the Rights of the Child

Article 17: Everyone has the right to access reliable information

Value: Wisdom

Learning Intention: I am learning facts about Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

Success Criteria: I can use my critical thinking skills to separate fact from opinion and get a clearer understanding of the background to the conflict.

Activity 1

Draw the Palestinian and Israeli flags in your jotter.

Activity 2

Your teacher will show you cards with information about Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

You will be able to answer the questions using the information on the cards and a map of the world. 

Fact Cards
The occupied Palestinian territory and Israel are in the Middle East on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Their neighbours are Lebanon and Syria to the north, Jordan to the east and Egypt to the south east.

The climate is quite warm and good for growing vegetables and fruit, including oranges, olives, fresh herbs, and avocados.
The state of Israel was recognised by the UN in 1948. There has been a Jewish presence in Palestine for thousands of years. The state of Palestine was recognised by the United Nations in 2013. Palestine is an ancient land and Palestinians have lived there for thousands of years.
Palestine is divided into two separate parts: Gaza and the West Bank which includes East Jerusalem. This is often referred to as the occupied Palestinian Territories. There are approximately 5 million³ Palestinian refugees registered with the UN and living in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
In the state of Israel, 75% of the population are Jewish, 21% are Palestinian (18% Muslim and 2% Christian) and 4% other. In the occupied Palestinian territory, approximately 92% are Muslim, around 1.5% are Christian. In January 2019, B’tselem estimated that over 600,000 Jewish settlers also live in the West Bank although considered illegal in international law.
Palestinians speak Arabic. Israelis speak Hebrew.

Palestinian Flag

Israeli Flag

Facts About Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory Questions

  1. Find Israel on a map of the world.

  2. Find the occupied Palestinian territory on a map of the world. (Hint: the occupied Palestinian territory may be marked Gaza and West Bank.)

  3. Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory are on the continent of ………… .

  4. Both countries are bordered by the ………………… Sea.

  5. ……………, ……….…… and ……..…… are food grown in Israel and Palestine.

  6. Israel was first recognised by the UN in ……….

  7. Palestine was first recognised by the UN in …………

  8. Palestinians have lived on the land for ……………… of years.

  9. There has been a Jewish presence in Palestine for …………….. of years.

  10. ……… % of the Israeli population are of the Jewish religion.

  11. ………. % of people living in the occupied Palestinian territory are of the Muslim religion.

  12. Israelis usually speak ………………..

  13. Palestinians usually speak ……………….

  14. Around ……………. Palestinian refugees are registered with the UN.
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