Final answer:
The United Nations allocated the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the Arab state in their 1947 plan to partition Palestine. Despite this division, Israel controlled more territory after defeating neighboring Arab states in war.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the United Nations proposed the partition of Palestine in 1947, it allocated specific regions to the Arab state. The territories awarded to the Arab state principally included the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The West Bank constitutes the land on the western side of the Jordan River, while the Gaza Strip refers to a narrow piece of land along the Mediterranean coast bordering Egypt. A critical point to note is that Jerusalem was intended to remain internationally administrated by the UN, despite being geographically within the boundaries of the West Bank.
Despite this partition, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 led to a series of wars with neighboring Arab countries, resulting in Israel gaining control over more territory. Consequently, Palestinian autonomy remained confined primarily to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, regions with a high concentration of Palestinian population.
Learn more about Partition of Palestine