Palestine ( فلسطين , , ; Παλαιστίνη , Palaistinē ; Palaestina Hebrew : פלשתינה Palestina ) is a geographic region in Western Asia between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River . The State of Palestine , also known simply as Palestine , is a de jure sovereign state in the Middle East that is recognized by 136 UN members and since 2012 has a status of a non-member observer state in the United Nations -- which amounts to a de facto , or implicit , recognition of statehood . The State of Palestine claims the West Bank ( bordering Israel and Jordan ) and Gaza Strip ( bordering Israel and Egypt ) with East Jerusalem as the designated capital .
The State of Palestine lays claim to a region in Western Asia.