In June 1967, only 17 days after the six-day war, Israel changed Jerusalem's municipal borders by adding/annexing/occupying approximately 70 sq. kilometers of West Bank territory to the city.  The size of Jerusalem thus tripled (from a previous area of only 40sq. kilometers), making it the largest city in Israel.  At the same time, Israel applied its law and administration to the land and to the people residing in these territories, which are today known as East Jerusalem.

The size of Jerusalem during the Jordanian rule prior to 1967 was only 6 sq. kilometers, including the Old City (1 sq. kilometer) and five sq. kilometers around it. The areas which Israel added/annexed/occupied in 1967 were together, several times larger than Jordanian Jerusalem. Aside from the Jordanian city, Jerusalem’s new boundaries included 28 additional Palestinian villages which had previously not been considered to be part of the City. Map

The new municipal boundaries were based on the recommendations of a military committee, which was approved by the government.  The recommendations represented interests - or thinking - of the time, and integrated military, demographic and geographic parameters. Militarily, there was a desire to control a route of military and strategic importance surrounding West Jerusalem. Geographically, the aim was to rule as large a territory as possible around what was Western Jerusalem. Demographically, the goal was to include as few Palestinians as possible in the added/annexed/occupied territories.

Arguments relating to Jerusalem's 'sanctity', its status as the 'eternal' capital of the Jewish people, and the necessity of keeping it united, were not taken into consideration and were not relevant to the considerations upon which the new municipal boundaries were set.

It should also be noted that the new municipal boundaries, set based on the parameters described above, were virtual and evident only in Israeli maps. There was no attempt to signify the new boundaries between Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank on the ground. It is important to stress that the Arab World and the International Community never recognized the new boundaries of the city.