Human settlements are the basic constituents of the historical spatial organisation of society and its
physical environment. The human settlement is composed of several elements which together form an overall system. These elements are the physical environment, society, the spatial structure and planning. The physical spatial structure of the settlement is an important framework within which other
systems of the settlement exist and function. The physical spatial structure of the human settlement
consists of five main elements; central area, neighbourhoods, the fringe, open land beyond the fringe
and road system. The physical spatial structure of the settlement has always been affected by the decisions of people who live within it. These decisions constitute the physical planning system of the human settlement. The physical planning system aims to control and manage the physical spatial structure of the settlement. The physical planning system, in this respect, is seen as the state intervention in the control and management of the physical spatial structure of the settlement. The physical planning system is composed of two main elements; institutional arrangements and instrumental representations. The important question is what relationship does exist between the physical planning system and the physical spatial structure of the settlement? This research aims to investigate this problem by considering the physical planning system in Palestine and its relationship with the physical spatial structures of Palestinian settlements from the late 19th century to 1994.
The importance of Palestine in this investigation depends on the fact that, within this century
alone, Palestine had four different physical planning systems. These systems have drastically affected the physical spatial structures of Palestinian settlements. This research is based on the examination of the elements of each physical planning system in Palestine and the way by which they have affected the physical spatial structures of Palestinian settlements. A detailed case study is provided for the city of Tulkarm in order to illustrate the actual effects of the physical planning system in Palestine on elements of the physical spatial structure of this settlement. Within the above theoretical framework and empirical investigations, this research is an important attempt to achieve more insights into models and theories of both the physical planning system and the physical spatial structure of the settlement.