# Israeli firing zones in the West Bank

Israeli firing zones in the West Bank are extensive areas of Area C in the occupied West Bank declared off-limits to civilian presence for the ostensible purpose of military training. They are considered to be part of the wider issue of Israeli land expropriation in the West Bank, alongside the declarations of State Land in the West Bank.
Since 1967, Israel has designated roughly 18–20% of the West Bank (nearly 30% of Area C) as firing zones. In these zones, any civilian presence or construction without special permission is forbidden by military order. Despite the restrictions, dozens of longstanding Palestinian communities—over 5,000 people in 38 villages as of recent counts—live inside these areas.
Israeli firing zones in the West Bank continue to be a contentious issue, with implications for military policy, settlement expansion, and human rights. While Israel argues these areas are necessary for security, international bodies widely view them as mechanisms of land control that contribute to displacement and restrict Palestinian development. According to Amnesty International the "Israeli army routinely demolishes Palestinian homes and structures in these "firing zones"; by contrast, the Israel authorities have changed the status of some "of these "firing zones" to allow for the expansion of Israeli settlements located partially or completely in them." The eviction of Palestinians in these areas has been critized by the United Nations, human rights organizations like B'Tselem, Bimkom and Human Rights Watch, and the European Union.

## History

After the 1967 Six-Day War and Israel's occupation of the West Bank, the Israeli military began designating large tracts of land as closed military areas. Between August 1967 and 1975, about 150,000 hectares (over 25% of the West Bank) were classified as military zones.
By the end of 1967, nearly 68,500 hectares were restricted. Areas such as the Jordan Valley and the Latrun region were among the first to be closed.
In a 1979 meeting, then-Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon revealed that many firing zones were designated with the explicit intent of reserving land for future Israeli settlements. Sharon stated that:
   As the person who initiated the military fire zones in 1967, they were all intended for one purpose: to provide an opportunity for Jewish settlement in the area. As soon as the Six-Day War ended, I was still sitting with my division in Sinai. I was in Sinai when I drew up these zones. The firing zones were created for one purpose: land reserves for settlements.
In 2012, 900 dunams from a firing zone were given to Sha'arei Tikva, an Israeli settlement founded in 1983.
In 2014 it was reported that 35,000 dunums of "firing zone" land was being surveyed for the building of Israeli settlements.
In 2015, Israel officially removed the firing zone designation from part of Firing Zone 912 to allow the expansion of Ma'ale Adumim settlement.

## List

Below is a breakdown of notable Israeli firing zones in the West Bank:
| Firing Zone | Geographic Area | Date of Designation | Estimated Palestinian Population at Designation | Current Population |
| Firing Zone 901 | Northern Jordan Valley | 1968 | Few dozen families | ~70 people in Khirbet Yarza |
| Firing Zone 902 | Northern Jordan Valley | 1970s | Small herding groups | Mostly seasonal presence |
| Firing Zone 903 | Um Zukka (Jordan Valley) | 1972 | Few hundred | Few dozen, area incorporated into Israeli settlement farmlands |
| Firing Zone 904A | Eastern Nablus Hills | 1970s | ~200 people in Khirbet Tana et-Tahta | ~250 residents (many demolitions) |
| Firing Zone 912 | Judean Desert | 1970s | Hundreds of Jahalin Bedouin | Under 200 (many evictions) |
| Firing Zone 918 | South Hebron Hills | Late 1970s | 700–1,000 residents in Masafer Yatta | ~1,100-1,300 today under eviction threats |
The Applied Research Institute–Jerusalem database of firing zones is shown below:
| Code Name | Palestinian Localities | Israeli Settlements in Master Plan | Area (dunums) | Location |
| Firing Zone 203 | 11 | 2 | 32,591 | Ramallah Governorate |
| Firing Zone 208 | 8 | 0 | 9,725 | Ramallah Governorate |
| Firing Zone 309 | 3 | 0 | 8,263 | Hebron Governorate |
| Firing Zone 900 | 4 | 1 | 73,077 | Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 901 | 3 | 0 | 49,229 | Tubas Governorate |
| Firing Zone 902 | 2 | 1 | 10,653 | Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 903 | 3 | 4 | 80,309 | Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 904 a | 5 | 4 | 42,497 | Nablus Governorate & Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 904 | 6 | 4 | 60,781 | Nablus Governorate & Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 906 | 7 | 7 | 88,256 | Ramallah Governorate & Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 911 | 2 | 1 | 6,819 | Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 911 a | 2 | 0 | 4,632 | Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone 918 | 2 | 3 | 32,712 | Hebron Governorate |
| Firing Zone 929 | 5 | 1 | 58,711 | Ramallah Governorate |
| Firing Zone 929 a | 1 | 0 | 170 | Hebron Governorate |
| Firing Zone 930 | 1 | 1 | 168 | Hebron Governorate |
| Firing Zone 934 | 7 | 1 | 14,745 | Ramallah Governorate |
| Firing Zone 959 | 1 | 0 | 76 | Hebron Governorate |
| Firing Zone aa | 10 | 13 | 409,294 | Jerusalem Governorate & Jordan Valley |
| Firing Zone aaa | 7 | 2 | 15,477 | Ramallah Governorate |
| Total | 90 | 45 | 998,185 | |

## Legal considerations

Under international law, the forced displacement of protected persons in occupied territory is prohibited under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Critics argue that these zones are used as a tool to control Palestinian land and facilitate Israeli settlement expansion.
Israel asserts that firing zones are essential for military training live-fire exercises.

### Impact on Palestinian communities

The establishment of firing zones has had severe consequences, including:
* Mass Evictions: Entire communities, such as in Masafer Yatta, face forced removals.
* Demolitions: Homes and infrastructure, including schools, are frequently destroyed.
* Restricted Movement: Villagers are periodically forced to evacuate for military exercises.
* Economic Disruption: Shepherding and agriculture, primary livelihoods for many affected, are heavily restricted.