Palestinians: From the State of Palestine (West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem)

Palestinians are the people of Palestine, formally the State of Palestine—a de jure sovereign state recognized by 140+ UN members, with de facto partial control over:

• West Bank (including East Jerusalem, claimed capital)
• Gaza Strip

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is the internationally recognized representative. The Palestinian Authority (PA) administers parts of the West Bank (Areas A/B) under Oslo Accords; Hamas governs Gaza since 2007.

Palestinians also form a large diaspora (refugees and descendants in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Chile, US, Europe, Gulf).

Key distinction: "Palestinian" is a national/ethnic identity; "Palestine" is the territorial entity. Not all residents of historic Palestine identify as Palestinian (e.g., Israeli settlers), and not all Palestinians live in Palestine.