Judea and Samaria
Judea and Samaria is a region in west central Israel that extends roughly from the Judean Hills to the Jordan River.
Occupied by Transjordan in 1948, it was referred to as the "West Bank", reflecting the view from Great Britain, the former colonizer, and Amman, Jordan. Jordan occupied the territory for only 19 years, but this label continues to be used outside of Israel.
After the region was liberated in 1967 during the Six Day War, the original names of Judea and Samaria were reinstated.
West Bank[edit]
In the British Empire, administrators tended to simplify the names of territories in order to reduce confusion among their forces. From the imperialist perspective, they needed to be absolutely clear, especially during times of war, that there was no miscommunication. During World War I, there were Ottoman attacks in the vicinity of the Suez Canal, which was a critical sea route for the British, and a big part of the reason they were operating in Egypt. The British referred to the area west of the Suez as the West Bank, and the area east as the East Bank. The Turkish forces were eventually pushed back into Israel, and the British encountered more natural water obstacles, the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Naturally they began referring to the area as the West Bank, reflecting the military priorities of the time.