מדינת ישראל‎ Medīnat Yisrā'el دولة إسرائيل‎ Dawlat Isrā'īl State of Israel
Flag Emblem
Anthem: Hatikvah The Hope
Capital (and largest city)		Jerusalem[1] 31°47′N, 35°13′E
Official languages		Hebrew, Arabic
Demonym		Israeli
Government		Parliamentary democracy[2]
-	President	Shimon Peres
-	Prime Minister	Ehud Olmert
Independence		from British Mandate of Palestine
-	Declaration	14 May 1948 (05 Iyar 5708)
Area
-	Total 1	20,770 / 22,072 km² (151st) 8,019 / 8,522 sq mi
-	Water (%)	~2%
Population
-	2008 estimate	7,282,0002[3] (96th)
-	1995 census	5,548,523
-	Density	324/km² (34th) 839/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007[4] estimate
-	Total	$232. List of flags of Israel The flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the country's establishment The Coat of arms of Israel shows a menorah surrounded by an Olive branch on each side and the writing "ישראל" ( Hebrew A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's For the political party see Hatikva (political party. For the Tel Aviv neighbourhood see Hatikva Quarter. This article discusses the Demographics of Israel. See also Israelis. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement The Israeli Declaration of Independence (הכרזת העצמאות Hakhrazat HaAtzma'ut or מגילת העצמאות Megilat HaAtzma'ut) made on 14 May Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Iyar ( Hebrew: אִייָר or אִיָּר, Standard Iyyar Tiberian ʾIyyār; Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 7 billion (44th)
-	Per capita	$33,299 (22nd)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$154. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita 3 billion
-	Per capita	$22,073
Gini (2005)		38. Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 6[2]
HDI (2007)		▬ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 932 (high) (23rd)
Currency		Israeli new sheqel (₪‎) (NIS)
Time zone		IST (UTC+2)
-	Summer (DST)	(UTC+3)
Internet TLD		.il
Calling code		+972
1	Excluding / Including the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem; see below. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The Israeli New Sheqel ( ( sign: ₪; code: ILS) (also spelled unofficially shekel; pl ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Israel Standard Time ( IST, sha'on isra'el) is the standard Time zone in Israel. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics.
2	Includes Israeli population in the West Bank. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria

Israel (Hebrew: יִשְרָאֵל‎, Yisra'el; Arabic: إسرائيل‎, Isrā'īl) officially the State of Israel (Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְרָאֵל‎ (help·info), Medinat Yisra'el; Arabic: دَوْلَةْ إِسْرَائِيل‎, Dawlat Isrā'īl), is a country in Western Asia located on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. ^[5] The West Bank and Gaza Strip are also adjacent. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west With a population of about 7. 28 million^[3], the majority of whom are Jews, Israel is the world's only Jewish state. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The terms " Jewish state " and " homeland of the Jewish people " are used to describe the State of Israel and refer to its status as a Nation-state ^[6] It is also home to Arab Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Samaritans, as well as other religious and ethnic minority groups. Arab citizens of Israel refers to Arabs or Arabic -speaking people who are Citizens of Israel who are not Jewish. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon

The modern state of Israel has its roots in the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), a concept central to Judaism for over three thousand years. For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut After World War I, the League of Nations approved the British Mandate of Palestine with the intent of creating a "national home for the Jewish people. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement "^[7] In 1947, the United Nations approved the partition of the Mandate of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding ^[8] The Arab League rejected the plan, but on May 14, 1948, the Jewish provisional government declared Israel's independence. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The provisional government of Israel (הממשלה הזמנית HaMemshela HaZmanit) was the temporary cabinet which governed Israel from shortly before independence The Israeli Declaration of Independence (הכרזת העצמאות Hakhrazat HaAtzma'ut or מגילת העצמאות Megilat HaAtzma'ut) made on 14 May The new country's victory in the subsequent Arab-Israeli War expanded the borders of the Jewish state beyond those in the UN Partition Plan. Since then, Israel has been in conflict with many of the neighboring Arab countries, resulting in several major wars and decades of violence that continue to this day. ^[9] Since its foundation, Israel's boundaries and even the State's very right to exist have been subject to dispute, especially among its Arab neighbors. The borders of Israel are based on those which were established by the British Mandate of 1922 which were in turn previously agreed by the victorious powers with an interest However, Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, and efforts are being made to reach a permanent accord with the Palestinians.

Israel is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system and universal suffrage. Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to ^[10][11] The Prime Minister serves as head of government and the Knesset serves as Israel's legislative body. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit In terms of nominal gross domestic product, the nation's economy is estimated as being the 44th-largest in the world. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE ^[12] Israel ranks high among Middle Eastern countries on the bases of human development,^[13] freedom of the press,^[14] and economic competitiveness. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Freedom Constitutional or statutory protections pertaining to freedom of the press ^[15] Jerusalem is the country's capital, seat of government, and largest city. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Jerusalem is not recognized as Israel's capital by any foreign government, however. ^[1] Israel's main financial center is Tel Aviv and all foreign governments with embassies in Israel locate them in the city or its suburbs. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel [2]

Etymology

Over the past three thousand years, the name "Israel" has meant in common and religious usage both the Land of Israel and the entire Jewish nation. For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The name originated from a verse in the Bible (Genesis, 32:28) where Jacob is renamed Israel after successfully wrestling with an angel of God. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ; ^[16] Commentators differ on the meaning of the name. Some say the name comes from the verb śarar ("to rule, be strong, have authority over"), thereby making the name mean "God rules" or "God judges". ^[17] Other possible meanings include "the prince of God" (from the King James Version) or "El fights/struggles". Eli (Hebrew אל is the Northwest Semitic word and name either translated into English as "god" or "God" or left untranslated as Eli, depending ^[18] Regardless of the precise meaning of the name, the biblical nation fathered by Jacob thus became the "Children of Israel" or the "Israelites". See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel.

The first historical mention of the word "Israel" is in the Merneptah Stele of ancient Egypt (dated the late 13th century BCE), which appears to refer to a people. The Merneptah Stele (also known as the Israel Stele or Victory Stele of Merneptah) is the reverse of a large granite stele originally erected by the Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now An English Noun The English noun people has two distinct fields of application as a countable noun, a group of Humans ^[19] The modern country was named Medinat Yisrael, or the State of Israel, after other proposed names, including Eretz Israel ("the Land of Israel"), Zion, and Judea, were rejected. For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is Zion ( Hebrew: צִיּוֹן ( Persian: صهیون tziyyon; Tiberian vocalization: tsiyyôn; transliterated Zion Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised ^[20] In the early weeks of independence, the government chose the term "Israeli" to denote a citizen of Israel, with the formal announcement made by Minister of Foreign Affairs Moshe Sharett. The Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel (שר החוץ Sar HaHutz) is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Moshe Sharett (משה שרת born Moshe Shertok (Hebrew משה שרתוק on 15 October 1894, died 7 July 1965) was the second ^[21]

History

Main article: History of Israel

Further information: History of the Jews in the Land of Israel

Early roots

Further information: History of ancient Israel and Judah

Roman garrison ruins at the foot of Masada

The Land of Israel, known in Hebrew as Eretz Yisrael, has been sacred to the Jewish people since the time of the biblical patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The State of Israel (מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael) was established in 1948 after nearly two thousand The History of the Jews in the Land of Israel begins with the ancient Israelites (also known as Hebrews) who settled in the Land of Israel. The history of Ancient Israel and Judah is known to us from classical sources including Judaism 's Tanakh or Hebrew Bible (known Masada ( Hebrew מצדה pronounced Metzada, from מצודה metzuda, "fortress" is the name for a site of ancient Palaces and For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Patriarchs (also known as the Avot in Hebrew) according to the Judeo-Christian Old Testament are Abraham, his Son Abraham ( Ashkenazi   Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac ( Hebrew: Yitzchak יִצְחָק, Standard Yiẓḥaq Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ; Scholars have placed this period in the early 2nd millennium BCE. ^[22] According to the Torah, the Land of Israel was promised to the Jews, by God, as their homeland,^[23][24] and the sites holiest to Judaism are located there. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut According to the traditional view, around the 11th century BCE, the first of a series of Israelite kingdoms and states established rule over the region; these Israelite kingdoms and states ruled intermittently for the following one thousand years. The history of Ancient Israel and Judah is known to us from classical sources including Judaism 's Tanakh or Hebrew Bible (known For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is ^[25]

Between the time of the Jewish kingdoms and the 7th-century Muslim conquests, the Land of Israel fell under Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Sassanian, and Byzantine rule. The initial Arab Muslim conquests (632–732 (فتح Fatah, literally opening, also referred to as the Islamic conquests or Arab Early history The most Neolithic site in Assyria is at Tell Hassuna, the center of the Hassuna culture Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Hellenistic period of European history was the period between the death of Alexander the Great (Alexander III of Macedon in 323 BC and the annexation The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire ^[26] Jewish presence in the region dwindled after the failure of the Bar Kokhba revolt against the Roman Empire in 132 CE and the resultant large-scale expulsion of Jews. Background After the failed Great Jewish Revolt in the year 70 the Roman authorities took measures to suppress the rebellious province The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial In 628/9, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius conducted a massacre and expulsion of the Jews, at which point the Jewish population probably reached its lowest point. Nevertheless, a continuous Jewish presence in Palestine remained. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Although the main Jewish population shifted from the Judea region to the Galilee,^[27] the Mishnah and part of the Talmud, among Judaism's most important religious texts, were composed in Israel during this period. Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism The Jerusalem Talmud or Talmud Yerushalmi (תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשָׁלְמִי often the Yerushalmi for short is a collection ^[28] The Land of Israel was captured from the Byzantine Empire around 636 CE during the initial Muslim conquests. Control of the region transferred between the Umayyads,^[29] Abbasids,^[30] and Crusaders over the next six centuries, before falling in the hands of the Mamluk Sultanate, in 1260. The Crusader states were a number of mostly 12th- and 13th-century feudal states created by Western European Crusaders in Asia Minor, Greece and In 1516, the Land of Israel became a part of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled the region until the 20th century. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish ^[31]

Zionism and the British Mandate

Main articles: History of Zionism, Aliyah, British Mandate of Palestine, and British Conflict with Zionism

See also: 1922 Text: League of Nations Palestine Mandate, Jewish refugees, and Timeline of Zionism

Jews living in the Diaspora have long aspired to return to Zion and the Land of Israel. Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization Although the Zionist movement was created by Theodor Herzl in 1897 the history of Zionism can be seen as beginning Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement In the course of history Jewish populations have been expelled or ostracised by various local authorities and have sought asylum from Antisemitism numerous times Timeline of Jewish history This is a partial timeline of Zionism in the modern era since the end of the 18th century Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) Ever since the Jews were exiled from the Land of Israel, during all generations many Jews aspired to return to their ancestral homeland History of Zionism The Return to Zion (שיבת ציון Shivat Tzion, or שבי ציון, Shavei Tzion, lit The First Aliyah (also The Farmers' Aliyah) was the first modern widespread wave of Zionist Aliyah. The Second Aliyah was arguably the most important and influential Aliyah. Prior to and during the period of World War I, the area of Palestine was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. The third Aliyah refers to the third wave of the Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe who came inspired by Zionist motives between the years 1919 The Fourth Aliyah refers to the fourth wave of the Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe and Asia whom came based on Zionist motives between The Fifth Aliyah refers to the fifth wave of the Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe and Asia between the years 1929 and 1939 Aliyah Bet (Hebrew 'עלייה ב meaning " Aliyah 'B'" ( bet being the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet was the code name given to Illegal immigration Berihah, or "Brichah" ( was the organized effort that helped Jews escape post- Holocaust Europe to Palestine. Operation Magic Carpet is a widely-known nickname for Operation On Wings of Eagles, an operation between June 1949 and September 1950 that brought From 1950 to 1952, Operation Ezra and Nehemiah airlifted 120-130000 Iraqi Jews to Israel via Iran and Cyprus. Antisemitism in the Arab world|Islam and Antisemitism The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews primarily of Sephardi The Polish 1968 political crisis (also known in Polish as 'March 1968' or 'March events' Marzec 1968 or wydarzenia marcowe) describes the major Student and intellectual In the 1970s a big immigration wave of Soviet Union Jews came to Israel. The Jewish Aliyah from Ethiopia began during the mid-1970s during which the majority of the Jewish Ethiopians immigrated to Israel. The big immigration wave of Jews from the Commonwealth of Independent States to Israel during the 1990s actually started during the late 1980s with the opening of Following the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, and in the wake of the 1999–2002 Argentine political and economic crisis, many Argentine Jews emigrated to Jewish history is the History of the Jewish people, faith, and culture. The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence The History of the Jews in the Land of Israel begins with the ancient Israelites (also known as Hebrews) who settled in the Land of Israel. Yishuv (ישוב literally "settlement" or Ha-Yishuv (the Yishuv הישוב or the full term הישוב היהודי בארץ ישראל Hayishuv Hayehudi Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization Although the Zionist movement was created by Theodor Herzl in 1897 the history of Zionism can be seen as beginning Timeline of Jewish history This is a partial timeline of Zionism in the modern era since the end of the 18th century The revival of the Hebrew language was a process that took place in Europe and Israel at the end of the 19th century and Religious Zionism, or the Religious Zionist Movement (a branch of which is also called Mizrachi) is an ideology that combines Zionism and religious The relationship between Haredim and Zionism has always been a difficult one Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism, an international political movement and ideology that supports a Homeland for the Jewish People in the land known The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is ^[32] That hope and yearning was articulated in the Bible,^[33] and is a central theme in the Jewish prayer book. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin A siddur ( Hebrew: סידור plural siddurim) is a Jewish Prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. Beginning in the twelfth century, Catholic persecution of Jews led to a steady stream leaving Europe to settle in the Holy Land, increasing in numbers after Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492. The Holy Land ( Arabic: الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah;Ancient Aramaic: ארעא קדישא Ar'a Qaddisha; Hebrew: ארץ_הקודש The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion) was an edict issued on 31 March, 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of ^[34] During the 16th century large communities struck roots in the Four Holy Cities, and in the second half of the 18th century, entire Hasidic communities from eastern Europe settled in the Holy Land. The Four Holy Cities is the collective term in Jewish tradition applied to the cities of Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safed: "Since Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew ^[35]

Theodor Herzl, visionary of the Jewish State

The first large wave of modern immigration, known as the First Aliyah (Hebrew: עלייה), began in 1881, as Jews fled pogroms in Eastern Europe. Theodor Herzl (בנימין זאב הרצל ( Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl) (May 2 1860&ndashJuly 3 1904 was an Austrian Jewish journalist who founded modern The First Aliyah (also The Farmers' Aliyah) was the first modern widespread wave of Zionist Aliyah. A pogrom is a form of Riot directed against a particular group whether ethnic religious or other and characterized by destruction of their Homes Businesses Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. ^[36] While the Zionist movement already existed in theory, Theodor Herzl is credited with founding political Zionism,^[37] a movement which sought to establish a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, by elevating the Jewish Question to the international plane. Theodor Herzl (בנימין זאב הרצל ( Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl) (May 2 1860&ndashJuly 3 1904 was an Austrian Jewish journalist who founded modern History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is The Jewish question was an issue for discussions and debate particularly in western and Central Europe, during the French Revolution and into the ^[38] In 1896, Herzl published Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State), offering his vision of a future state; the following year he presided over the first World Zionist Congress. Der Judenstaat (German The Jewish State) is a book written by Theodor Herzl and published in 1896 in Leipzig and Vienna by M The World Zionist Organization ( Hebrew: ההסתדרות הציונית העולמית or WZO, was founded as the Zionist Organization ( Hebrew ^[39]

The Second Aliyah (1904–1914), began after the Kishinev pogrom. The Second Aliyah was arguably the most important and influential Aliyah. This article is part of the History of the Jews in Bessarabia. Some 40,000 Jews settled in Palestine. ^[36] Both the first and second waves of migrants were mainly Orthodox Jews,^[40] but those in the Second Aliyah included socialist pioneers who established the kibbutz movement. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Labor Zionism ( Labour Zionism, ציונות סוציאליסטית tsionut sotsialistit) can be described as the major stream of the Left wing of the A kibbutz ( Hebrew: קיבוץ קִבּוּץ lit "gathering clustering" plural kibbutzim) is a collective community in ^[41] During World War I, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued what became known as the Balfour Declaration, which "view[ed] with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Arthur James Balfour 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC (25 July 1848 - 19 March 1930 was a British Conservative politician and Balfour Declaration of 1917 (dated November 2 1917) was a Classified formal statement of Policy by the British government stating "^[42] The Jewish Legion, a group of battalions composed primarily of Zionist volunteers, assisted in the British conquest of Palestine. This article is about the British Army battalions known as the Jewish Legion or Zion Mule Corps, which fought in World War I against the Arab opposition to the plan led to the 1920 Palestine riots and the formation of the Jewish organization known as the Haganah (meaning "The Defense" in Hebrew), from which the Irgun and Lehi split off. The 1920 Palestine riots, or Nabi Musa riots, were violent Arab disturbances against the Jews in Jerusalem. Haganah ( Hebrew: "The Defense" ההגנה was a Jewish Paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine Irgun (ארגון shorthand for HaIrgun HaTzva'i HaLe'umi BeEretz Yisra'el, he הארגון הצבאי הלאומי בארץ ישראל "National Military Organization Lehi ('lɛxi Hebrew acronym for Lohamei Herut Israel, "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel" לח"י - לוחמי חירות ^[43]

In 1922, the League of Nations granted the United Kingdom a mandate over Palestine for the express purpose of "placing the country under such political, administrative and economic conditions as will secure the establishment of the Jewish national home". The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement ^[44] The population of the area at this time was predominantly Muslim Arab, while the largest urban area in the region, Jerusalem, was predominantly Jewish. ^[45]

Jewish immigration continued with the Third Aliyah (1919–1923) and Fourth Aliyah (1924–1929), which together brought 100,000 Jews to Palestine. The third Aliyah refers to the third wave of the Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe who came inspired by Zionist motives between the years 1919 The Fourth Aliyah refers to the fourth wave of the Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe and Asia whom came based on Zionist motives between ^[36] In the wake of the Jaffa riots in the early days of the Mandate, the British restricted Jewish immigration and territory slated for the Jewish state was allocated to Transjordan. The Jaffa riots refers to the riots and killings that took place in the British Mandate of Palestine between 1 and 7 May 1921 The Emirate of Transjordan ( Arabic: ar إمارة شرق الأردن) was a former Ottoman territory incorporated into the British Mandate of Palestine ^[46] The rise of Nazism in the 1930s led to the Fifth Aliyah, with an influx of a quarter of a million Jews. Hitler's rise to power began with Hitler's NSDAP as a fringe political party within the government of the Weimar Republic. Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) This influx resulted in the Arab revolt of 1936–1939 and led the British to cap immigration with the White Paper of 1939. The 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine was an uprising during the British mandate by Arabs in Palestine which lasted from 1936 to 1939 The White Paper of 1939, also known as the MacDonald White Paper after Malcolm MacDonald, the British Colonial Secretary who presided over With countries around the world turning away Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust, a clandestine movement known as Aliyah Bet was organized to bring Jews to Palestine. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Aliyah Bet (Hebrew 'עלייה ב meaning " Aliyah 'B'" ( bet being the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet was the code name given to Illegal immigration ^[36] By the end of World War II, Jews accounted for 33% of the population of Palestine, up from 11% in 1922. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[47][48]

Independence and first years

Main articles: History of Israel, 1947-1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine, 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and Declaration of Independence (Israel)

See also: Israel and the United Nations, Jewish exodus from Arab lands, 1948 Palestinian exodus, and Sh'erit ha-Pletah

David Ben-Gurion proclaiming Israeli independence on May 14, 1948 below a portrait of Theodor Herzl

After 1945 the United Kingdom became embroiled in an increasingly violent conflict with the Jews. The State of Israel (מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael) was established in 1948 after nearly two thousand The 1947-1948 Civil War in the Mandatory Palestine lasted from 30 November 1947 with the United Nations vote in favour of the termination of the British Mandate of Palestine The Israeli Declaration of Independence (הכרזת העצמאות Hakhrazat HaAtzma'ut or מגילת העצמאות Megilat HaAtzma'ut) made on 14 May United Nations article Please do not remove -->Issues relating to the Antisemitism in the Arab world|Islam and Antisemitism The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews primarily of Sephardi The 1948 Palestinian exodus (الهجرة الفلسطينية al-Hijra al-Filasteeniya) referred to by Palestinians as al Naqba (النكبة Sh'erit ha-Pletah ( Hebrew: שארית הפליטה literally The Surviving Remnant is a biblical (First Chronicles 443 term used by Jewish survivors Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Theodor Herzl (בנימין זאב הרצל ( Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl) (May 2 1860&ndashJuly 3 1904 was an Austrian Jewish journalist who founded modern ^[49] In 1947, the British government withdrew from commitment to the Mandate of Palestine, stating it was unable to arrive at a solution acceptable to both Arabs and Jews. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement ^[50] The newly-created United Nations approved the UN Partition Plan (United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181) on November 29, 1947, dividing the country into two states, one Arab and one Jewish. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jerusalem was to be designated an international city – a corpus separatum – administered by the UN to avoid conflict over its status. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Corpus separatum is Latin for "separated body" The 1947 UN Partition Plan used this term to refer to a proposed internationally administered zone to include ^[51] The Jewish community accepted the plan,^[52] but the Arab League and Arab Higher Committee rejected it. Yishuv (ישוב literally "settlement" or Ha-Yishuv (the Yishuv הישוב or the full term הישוב היהודי בארץ ישראל Hayishuv Hayehudi The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية The Arab Higher Committee was the central political organ of the Arab community of Palestine, established in 1936 ^[53]

Regardless, the State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948, one day before the expiry of the British Mandate for Palestine. The Israeli Declaration of Independence (הכרזת העצמאות Hakhrazat HaAtzma'ut or מגילת העצמאות Megilat HaAtzma'ut) made on 14 May Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[54] Not long after, five Arab countries – Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq – attacked Israel, launching the 1948 Arab-Israeli War,^[54]although conflict between the Jews and Arabs of Palestine started earlier. After a year of fighting, a ceasefire was declared and temporary borders, known as the Green Line, were established. The 1949 Armistice Agreements are a set of agreements signed during 1949 between Israel and its neighbors Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan The term Green Line is used to refer to the 1949 Armistice lines established between Israel and its neighbours ( Egypt, Jordan, Jordan annexed what became known as the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip. The West Bank and East Jerusalem were occupied by Jordan (formerly Transjordan) for a period of nearly two decades (1948&ndash1967 starting The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Occupation of the Gaza Strip by Egypt: 1947 - October 1956 March 1957 - June 1967 The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations on May 11, 1949. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[55]. During the war 711,000 Arabs, according to UN estimates, or about 80% of the previous Arab population, fled the country. No-one knows exactly how many Palestinians became Refugees during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, but estimates generally place the number between half a million and a million The 1948 Palestinian exodus (الهجرة الفلسطينية al-Hijra al-Filasteeniya) referred to by Palestinians as al Naqba (النكبة ^[56] The fate of the Palestinian refugees today is a major point of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ^[57][58]

In the early years of the state, the Labor Zionist movement led by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion dominated Israeli politics. Labor Zionism ( Labour Zionism, ציונות סוציאליסטית tsionut sotsialistit) can be described as the major stream of the Left wing of the ^[59][60] These years were marked by mass immigration of Holocaust survivors and an influx of Jews persecuted in Arab lands. Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) See also The Holocaust See also The Holocaust (responsibility The aftermath of the Holocaust had a profound effect on society in both Europe and the Antisemitism in the Arab world|Islam and Antisemitism The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews primarily of Sephardi The population of Israel rose from 800,000 to two million between 1948 and 1958. ^[61] Most arrived as refugees with no possessions and were housed in temporary camps known as ma'abarot. The Ma'abarot (מעברות were Refugee camps in Israel in the 1950s By 1952, over 200,000 immigrants were living in these tent cities. The need to solve the crisis led Ben-Gurion to sign a reparations agreement with West Germany that triggered mass protests by Jews angered at the idea of Israel "doing business" with Germany. The Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany ( German: Luxemburger Abkommen, Hebrew: הסכם השילומים) was signed on ^[62]

During the 1950s, Israel was frequently attacked by Palestinian fedayeen, mainly from the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. Palestinian fedayeen (from the Arabic fidā'ī, plural fidā'iyūn, فدائيون refers to Militants or Guerrillas of a nationalist The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west ^[63] In 1956, Israel joined a secret alliance with The United Kingdom and France aimed at recapturing the Suez Canal, which the Egyptians had nationalized (see the Suez Crisis). The Protocols of Sèvres ( French, Protocoles de Sèvres) was a secret agreement reached between the governments of Israel, France and Great The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh Despite capturing the Sinai Peninsula, Israel was forced to retreat due to pressure from the United States and the Soviet Union in return for guarantees of Israeli shipping rights in the Red Sea and the Canal. The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai ( Coptic: sina; Egyptian Arabic: sina سينا Arabic, sina'a سيناء The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ^[64]

At the start of the following decade, Israel captured Adolf Eichmann, an architect of the Final Solution hiding in Argentina, and brought him to trial. The Final Solution ( Die Endlösung) was Nazi Germany 's plan and execution of its systematic Genocide against European Jewry during World For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. ^[65] The trial had a major impact on public awareness of the Holocaust,^[66] and to date Eichmann remains the only person sentenced to death by Israeli courts. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as ^[67]

Conflicts and peace treaties

Main articles: Arab-Israeli conflict and Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Arab countries continually refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Jewish state, and Arab nationalists led by Nasser called for the destruction of Israel. Arab nationalism ( Arabic: القومية العربية is a Nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards Gamal Abdel Nasser (جمال عبد الناصر Gamāl ‘Abd an-Nāṣir; - January 15 1918 September 28 1970) was the second President ^[68] In 1967, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan massed troops close to Israeli borders, expelled UN peacekeepers and blocked Israel's access to the Red Sea. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The first United Nations Emergency Force ( UNEF) was established by United Nations General Assembly to secure an end to the 1956 Suez Crisis with resolution The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. Israel saw these actions as a casus belli for a pre-emptive strike that launched the Six-Day War, Israel achieved a decisive victory in which it captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights. Casus belli is a Latin language expression meaning the justification for acts of war Preemptive war (or a preemptive strike) is waged in an attempt to repel or defeat a perceived inevitable offensive or Invasion, or to gain a strategic advantage in Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai ( Coptic: sina; Egyptian Arabic: sina سينا Arabic, sina'a سيناء Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous ^[69] The 1949 Green Line became the administrative boundary between Israel and the occupied territories. The term Green Line is used to refer to the 1949 Armistice lines established between Israel and its neighbours ( Egypt, Jordan, The are the territories captured by Israel from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 consisting of the West Jerusalem's boundaries were enlarged, incorporating East Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. The Jerusalem Law, passed in 1980, reaffirmed this measure and reignited international controversy over the status of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law Jerusalem Capital of Israel passed by the Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 declared Israel's 1980 " Jerusalem Law " which declared Jerusalem to be Israel has De facto control over all of Jerusalem. However there are many differing legal and diplomatic positions on Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Golda Meir, who resigned following the Yom Kippur War

The failure of the Arab states in the 1967 war led to the rise of Arab non-state actors in the conflict, most importantly the PLO which was committed to what it called "armed struggle as the only way to liberate the homeland". Golda Meir ( גּוֹלְדָּה מֵאִיר جولدا مائير born Golda Mabovitch, 3 May 1898 - 8 December 1978 known as Golda Myerson from 1917-1956 The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary ^[70][71] In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Palestinian groups launched a wave of attacks^[72] against Israeli targets around the world,^[73] including a massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Palestinian fedayeen (from the Arabic fidā'ī, plural fidā'iyūn, فدائيون refers to Militants or Guerrillas of a nationalist Palestinian political violence or Palestinian terrorism refers to acts of violence committed for political reasons by Palestinians Palestinian groups that support The Munich massacre occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Munich, in what was Israel responded with Operation Wrath of God, in which those responsible for the Munich massacre were tracked down and assassinated. "Wrath of God" redirects here For the 1972 film by Werner Herzog, see Aguirre the Wrath of God. ^[74] On October 6, 1973, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched a surprise attack against Israel. Events 105 BC - Battle of Arausio: The Cimbri inflict the heaviest defeat on the Roman army of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Yom Kippur (יוֹם כִּפּוּר ˈjɔm kiˈpur also known in English as the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn and important of the Jewish holidays Its The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום The war ended on October 26 with Israel successfully repelling Egyptian and Syrian forces but suffering great losses. Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death ^[75] An internal inquiry exonerated the government of responsibility for the war, but public anger forced Prime Minister Golda Meir to resign. The Agranat Commission was an official National Commission of Inquiry appointed by the Israeli government to investigate the circumstances leading to the outbreak of the Golda Meir ( גּוֹלְדָּה מֵאִיר جولدا مائير born Golda Mabovitch, 3 May 1898 - 8 December 1978 known as Golda Myerson from 1917-1956

The 1977 Knesset elections marked a major turning point in Israeli political history as Menachem Begin's Likud party took control from the Labor Party. The Elections for the ninth Knesset were held on 17 May 1977. (מְנַחֵם בְּגִין Mieczysław Biegun Менахем Вольфович Бегин 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992 was the sixth prime minister of the State of Israel Likud (ליכוד lit Consolidation) is the major centre-right political party in Israel. ^[76] Later that year, Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat made a trip to Israel and spoke before the Knesset in what was the first recognition of Israel by an Arab head of state. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit ^[77] In the two years that followed, Sadat and Menachem Begin signed the Camp David Accords and the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. (מְנַחֵם בְּגִין Mieczysław Biegun Менахем Вольфович Бегин 16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992 was the sixth prime minister of the State of Israel The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, ^[78] Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula and agreed to enter negotiations over an autonomy for Palestinians across the Green Line, a plan which was never implemented. An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority Begin's government encouraged Israelis to settle in the West Bank, leading to friction with the Palestinians in those areas. Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria

In 1982, Israel intervened in the Lebanese Civil War to destroy the bases from which the Palestine Liberation Organization launched attacks and missiles at northern Israel. The Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990 was a multifaceted Civil war whose antecedents can be traced back to the conflicts and political compromises reached after the end The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary That move developed into the First Lebanon War. The 1982 Lebanon War (מלחמת לבנון Milhemet Levanon) (الإجتياح Al-Ijtīāḥ, "the invasion" called by Israel the Operation Peace ^[79] Israel withdrew from most of Lebanon in 1986, but maintained a borderland buffer zone until 2000. The Israeli Security Zone in southern Lebanon was a strip of territory of varying width 5 to 25km from the Israeli border and the occupied Golan Heights The First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule,^[80] broke out in 1987 with waves of violence occurring in the occupied territories. The First Intifada (1987–1993 (also " Intifada " and "war of the stones" was a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli The are the territories captured by Israel from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 consisting of the West Over the following six years, more than a thousand people were killed in the ensuing violence, much of which was internal Palestinian violence. ^[81] During the 1991 Gulf War, the PLO and many Palestinians supported Saddam Hussein and Iraqi missile attacks against Israel. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 ^[82][83]

Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat shake hands, presided over by Bill Clinton, at the signing of the Oslo Accords, September 13, 1993

In 1992, Yitzhak Rabin became Prime Minister following an election in which his party promoted compromise with Israel's neighbors. Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Elections for the thirteenth Knesset were held in Israel on 23 June, 1992. ^[84][85] The following year, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas, on behalf of Israel and the PLO, signed the Oslo Accords, which gave the Palestinian National Authority the right to self-govern parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. (שמעון פרס born Szymon Perski on August 2 1923, is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles ^[86] A declared intent was recognition of Israel's right to exist and an end to terrorism. ^[87] In 1994, the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace was signed, making Jordan the second Arab country to normalize relations with Israel. ^[88]

Arab public support was affected by the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre, continuation of settlements,^[89] and checkpoints, and the deterioration of economic conditions. See also Hebron massacre (disambiguation The Cave of the Patriarchs massacre was a terrorist attack on Muslim Arabs praying at the Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. Israeli public support for the Accords waned as Israel was struck by Palestinian suicide attacks. List of Suicide attacks carried out by Hamas The criteria used for this list deliberate attacks committed by Hamas against civilians using suicide bombers The November 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin by a far-right-wing Jew, as he left a peace rally, shocked the country. The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin took place on November 4, 1995, at 2130 at the end of a rally in support of the

At the end of the 1990s, Israel, under the leadership of Benjamin Netanyahu, withdrew from Hebron,^[90] and signed the Wye River Memorandum, giving greater control to the Palestinian National Authority. (בִּנְיָמִין "ביבי" נְתַנְיָהוּ Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, born October 21 1949, Tel Aviv) was Hebron ( al-Ḫalīl or al-Khalīl, Standard Hebrew: Ḥevron Tiberian Hebrew: Ḥeḇrôn is the largest city in the West Bank, located in the south The Wye River Memorandum was a political agreement negotiated to implement the earlier Interim Agreement of 28 September 1995 brokered by the United States between ^[91]

Ehud Barak, elected Prime Minister in 1999, began the new millennium by withdrawing forces from Southern Lebanon and conducting negotiations with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and U. Ehud Barak (אֵהוּד בָּרָק born Ehud Brog on 12 February 1942) is an Israeli politician former Prime Minister, and The second Prime Ministerial election in Israel was held on 17 May 1999 alongside elections for the 15th Knesset. Summary Israel occupied a security zone of varying sizes in Southern Lebanon between 1982 and 2000 Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 S. President Bill Clinton at the July 2000 Camp David Summit. William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States The Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David of July 2000 took place between United States President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister During the summit, Barak offered a plan for the establishment of a Palestinian state, but Yasser Arafat rejected it. Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently ^[92] After the collapse of the talks, Palestinians began the Second Intifada.

Ariel Sharon became the new prime minister in a 2001 special election. (אריאל Elections for Prime Minister were held in Israel on 6 February 2001 following the resignation of the incumbent Labour 's Ehud Barak During his tenure, Sharon carried out his plan to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip and also spearheaded the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier. Israel's unilateral disengagement plan ( Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות Tokhnit HaHitnatkut or תוכנית ההינתקות Tokhnit HaHinatkut in West bank walljpg|thumb|Aerial view looking east from the Israeli side ^[93] In January 2006, after Ariel Sharon suffered a severe stroke which left him in a coma, the powers of office were transferred to Ehud Olmert. The illnesses of Ariel Sharon are a series of medical problems that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has experienced especially coming to the Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader

On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah initiated a diversionary Katyusha rocket and mortar attack on Israeli military positions and border villages. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of Fencing. Katyusha multiple rocket launchers (Катюша are a type of Rocket artillery originally built and fielded by the Soviet Union in the Second World War ^{[94][95][96][97][98][99]} Hezbollah fighters crossed the border into Israeli territory and kidnapped two Israeli soldiers. ^[100]. The kidnapping, along with Hezbollah shelling of Israeli border towns, sparked the Second Lebanon War. Background See also Israel-Lebanon conflict The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO had engaged in cross-border attacks from Southern Lebanon The conflict was brought to end by a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 is a resolution intended to resolve the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. After the war, Israel's Chief of Staff, Dan Halutz, resigned. ( דן חלוץ) (born August 7[[ 948]] in Tel Aviv, Israel) is an Israeli Air Force Lt ^[101]

On November 27, 2007, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to negotiate on all issues and strive for an agreement by the end of 2008. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ehud Olmert (אהוד אולמרט ɛˈhud ˈolmeʁt born September 30, 1945) is the 12th and current Prime Minister of Israel and the former leader Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President In April 2008, Syrian President Bashar Al Assad told a Qatari newspaper that Syria and Israel had been discussing a peace treaty for a year, with Turkey as a go-between. Dr Bashar al-Assad (بشار الأسد) (born 11 September, 1965) is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches This was confirmed by Israel in May 2008. ^[102]

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of Israel

The Sakhne

Israel is located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, bounded by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest. The geography of Israel is diverse with Desert conditions in the south and snow-capped mountains in the north Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The sovereign territory of Israel, excluding all territories captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War, is approximately 20,770 square kilometers (8,019 sq mi) in area, of which two percent is water. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt ^[2] The total area under Israeli law, including East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, is 22,072 square kilometers (8,522 sq mi). East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous ^[103]

Judean hills

The total area under Israeli control, including the military-controlled and partially Palestinian-governed territory of the West Bank, is 27,799 square kilometers (10,733 sq mi). The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria ^[104]

Arugot river in the Judean desert

Despite its small size, Israel is home to a variety of geographic features, from the Negev desert in the south to the mountain ranges of the Galilee, Carmel, and the Golan in the north. Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised The Negev (נֶגֶב Tiberian vocalization: Néḡeḇ) is the Desert region of southern Israel. "Galil" redirects here For the weapon see IMI Galil. Galilee (הגליל ha-Galil, lit the province, Mount Carmel (הר הכרמל Karem El/Har Ha'Karmel; Arabic Kurmul/Jabal Mar Elyas) is a coastal Mountain range in northern Israel Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous The Israeli Coastal Plain on the shores of the Mediterranean is home to seventy percent of the nation's population. The Israeli Coastal Plain (מישור החוף Mishor HaHof) is the narrow Coastal plain along Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast which houses 70% of East of the central highlands lies the Jordan Rift Valley, which forms a small part of the 6,500-kilometer (4,040-mi) Great Rift Valley. Great Rift ValleyThe Jordan Rift Valley (الغور Al-Ghor or Al-Ghawr) is an elongated depression located in modern-day Israel, Jordan, the The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by English explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trough approximately in length that runs The Jordan River runs along the Jordan Rift Valley, from Mount Hermon through the Hulah Valley and the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the Earth. This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia Mount Hermon ( הר חרמון Har Hermon, جبل الشيخجبل حرمون Jabal el-Shaiykh, Jabal Haramon The Hula Valley (עמק החולה Emek HaHula) is an agricultural region in northern Israel with abundant fresh water The Sea of Galilee, also Sea of Genneseret, Lake Kinneret or Lake Tiberias (Hebrew ים כנרת) (Arabic بحيرة طبريا) The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between ^[105] Further south is the Arabah, ending with the Gulf of Eilat, part of the Red Sea. The Arabah (הָעֲרָבָה Tiberian: HāʻĂrāḇā وادي عربة Wādī ʻAraba) is a section of the Great The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic: خليج العقبة transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah in Israel known as the Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. Unique to Israel and the Sinai Peninsula are makhteshim, or erosion cirques. The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai ( Coptic: sina; Egyptian Arabic: sina سينا Arabic, sina'a سيناء A makhtesh (מכתש plural מכתשים - "makhteshim" is a geological landform regarded to be unique to the Negev desert of Israel and the ^[106] The largest makhtesh in the world is Ramon Crater in the Negev,^[107] which measures 40 kilometers by 8 kilometers (25 mi by 5 mi). Makhtesh Ramon (מכתש רמון litRamon Crater is a spectacular geological feature of Israel's Negev Desert. ^[108]

Temperatures in Israel vary widely, especially during the winter. The more mountainous regions can be windy, cold, and sometimes snowy; Mount Hermon's peak is covered with snow most of the year and Jerusalem usually receives at least one snowfall each year. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the ^[109] Meanwhile, coastal cities, such as Tel Aviv and Haifa, have a typical Mediterranean climate with cool, rainy winters and long, hot summers. Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide The highest temperature in the continent of Asia (53. 7°C or 129 °F) was recorded in 1942 at Tirat Zvi kibbutz in the northern parts of the Jordan-valley. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Tirat Zvi (טירת צבי lit Zvi Castle) is a religious Kibbutz in the Beit She'an Valley in northern Israel. From May to September, rain in Israel is rare. ^[110][111] With scarce water resources, Israel has developed various water-saving technologies, including drip irrigation. See also Irrigation Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or microirrigation is an Irrigation method which minimizes the use ^[112] Israelis also take advantage of the considerable sunlight available for solar energy, making Israel the leading nation in solar energy use per capita. Solar energy is the Light and radiant heat from the Sun that powers Earth 's Climate and Weather and sustains Life Solar energy is the Light and radiant heat from the Sun that powers Earth 's Climate and Weather and sustains Life ^[113]

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Israel

See also: Human rights in Israel, List of political parties in Israel, and Israeli judicial system

The Knesset building, home of the Israeli parliament

Israel operates under a parliamentary system as a democratic country with universal suffrage. Politics of Israel takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Israel is Human rights in Israel have been evaluated by various Non-governmental organizations and individuals often in relation to the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict and Israel's Political system is based on Proportional representation which allows for a Multi-party system with numerous parties The Israeli judicial system (or judicial branch in Israel, is an independent branch of the government which includes both secular and religious courts. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to ^[2] The President of Israel is the head of state, but his duties are largely ceremonial. The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state ^[114] A Parliament Member supported by a majority in parliament becomes the Prime Minister, usually the chairman of the largest party. The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and is the most powerful political officer in Israel (the President of Israel being a titular figurehead The Prime Minister is the head of government and head of the Cabinet. This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The Cabinet of Israel is a formal body composed of government officials chosen and led by a Prime Minister. ^[114][115] Israel is governed by a 120-member parliament, known as the Knesset. For Beit Knesset a Jewish Place of worship, see Synagogue. The Knesset (כנסת lit Membership in the Knesset is based on proportional representation of political parties. Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation or PR is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes ^[116] Parliamentary elections are held every four years, but the Knesset can dissolve the government at any time by a no-confidence vote. A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion The Basic Laws of Israel function as an unwritten constitution. The Basic Laws of Israel (חוקי יסוד Hokei Yesod) are a key component of Israel 's Unwritten constitution. An unwritten constitution is a Constitution made by means of many laws passed over time to decide how things are run in the Government. In 2003, the Knesset began to draft an official constitution based on these laws. ^[2][117]

Office of the President of Israel in 2007. The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit

Israel has a three-tier court system. At the lowest level are magistrate courts, situated in most cities across the country. A magistrate is a judicial officer In Common law systems a magistrate usually has limited authority to administer and enforce the Law. Above them are district courts, serving both as appellate courts and courts of first instance; they are situated in five of Israel's six districts. District courts are a category of Courts which exists in several nations In Law, an appeal is a process for requesting a formal change to an official decision A trial court or court of first instance is the Court in which most civil or criminal cases begin There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen The third and highest tier in Israel is the Supreme Court, seated in Jerusalem. The Supreme Court ( Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון Beit haMishpat ha'Elyon) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. It serves a dual role as the highest court of appeals and the High Court of Justice. The Supreme Court ( Hebrew: בית המשפט העליון Beit haMishpat ha'Elyon) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. In the latter role, the Supreme Court rules as a court of first instance, allowing individuals, both citizens and non-citizens, to petition against decisions of state authorities. ^[118][119] Israel is not a member of the International Criminal Court as it fears the court would be biased against it due to political pressure. The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against ^[120] Israel's legal system combines English common law, civil law, and Jewish law. English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of Common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countriesand the Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive Civil law or Romano-Germanic law or Continental law is the predominant system of law in the world. Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law ^[2] It is based on the principle of stare decisis (precedent) and is an adversarial system, where the parties in the suit bring evidence before the court. Stare decisis is a common law doctrine under which judges are obligated to follow the precedents established in prior decisions The adversarial system (or adversary system) of law is the system of law generally adopted in Common law countries that relies on the skill of each advocate Court cases are decided by professional judges rather than juries. ^[118] Marriage and divorce are under the jurisdiction of the religious courts: Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian. A beth din, beit din or beis din ( Hebrew: בית דין "house of judgment" plural battei din) is a Rabbinical Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. A committee of Knesset members, Supreme Court justices, and Israeli Bar members carries out the election of judges. ^[121]

Districts of Israel: (1) Northern, (2) Haifa, (3) Center, (4) Tel Aviv, (5) Jerusalem, (6) Southern

The Israeli Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty seeks to defend human rights and liberties. There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen The North District (מחוז הצפון mehoz hatzafon, also known as the Northern District) is one of Israel 's six administrative districts Haifa District (מחוז חיפה Mehoz Ḥeifa) is an administrative district surrounding the city of Haifa, Israel. The Center District (מחוז המרכז Meḥoz haMerkaz) of Israel is one of six administrative districts, including most of the Sharon region The Tel Aviv District is one of six administrative districts of Israel with a population of 1 The Jerusalem District is one of six administrative districts of Israel. The South District (מחוז הדרום Mehoz HaDarom) is one of Israel 's six administrative districts, and is the largest in terms of land area as well Basic Law Human Dignity and Liberty is a Basic Law, intended to protect main Human rights in the State of Israel. Israel is the only country in the region ranked "Free" by Freedom House based on the level of civil and political rights; the "Israeli Occupied Territories/Palestinian Authority" was ranked "Not Free. Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political "^[122] Similarly, Reporters Without Borders rated Israel 50th out of 168 countries in terms of freedom of the press and highest among Southwest Asian countries. Freedom Constitutional or statutory protections pertaining to freedom of the press Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. ^[123] Nevertheless, groups such as Amnesty International^[124] and Human Rights Watch^[125] have often disapproved of Israel's human rights record in regards to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. Israel's civil liberties also allow for self-criticism, from groups such as B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization. B'Tselem (בצלם "in the image of" as in Genesis) is an Israeli Non-governmental organization (NGO that describes ^[126] Israel's system of socialized medicine, which guarantees equal health care to all residents of the country, was anchored in law in 1995. ^[127]

Administrative districts

Main article: Districts of Israel

See also: List of cities in Israel

The State of Israel is divided into six main administrative districts, known as mehozot (מחוזות; singular: mahoz) – Center, Haifa, Jerusalem, North, Southern, and Tel Aviv Districts. There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen The following list of Israeli cities is based on the current index of the The Center District (מחוז המרכז Meḥoz haMerkaz) of Israel is one of six administrative districts, including most of the Sharon region Haifa District (מחוז חיפה Mehoz Ḥeifa) is an administrative district surrounding the city of Haifa, Israel. The Jerusalem District is one of six administrative districts of Israel. The North District (מחוז הצפון mehoz hatzafon, also known as the Northern District) is one of Israel 's six administrative districts The South District (מחוז הדרום Mehoz HaDarom) is one of Israel 's six administrative districts, and is the largest in terms of land area as well The Tel Aviv District is one of six administrative districts of Israel with a population of 1 Districts are further divided into fifteen sub-districts known as nafot (נפות; singular: nafa), which are themselves partitioned into fifty natural regions. ^[128] For statistical purposes, the country is divided into three metropolitan areas: Tel Aviv and Gush Dan (population 3,150,000), Haifa (population 996,000), and Beersheba (population 531,600). Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel Gush Dan (גּוּשׁ דָּן is a Metropolitan area including areas from both the Tel Aviv and the Central Districts of Israel. Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with Beersheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע Be'er Sheva, بئر السبع, Birüssebi is the largest City in the Negev desert of southern ^[129] However, Israel's largest city, both in population and area,^[130] is Jerusalem with 732,100 residents in an area of 126 square kilometers (49 sq mi). Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Rishon LeZion rank as Israel's next most populous cities, with populations of 384,600, 267,000, and 222,300 respectively. Rishon LeZion (רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן lit First to Zion is the fourth-largest city in Israel, located along the central Israeli ^[131]

Occupied territories

Main article: Israeli-occupied territories

Further information: Israeli settlement and Political status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip

Map of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, 2007

The Israeli-occupied territories are the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The are the territories captured by Israel from Egypt, Jordan, and Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 consisting of the West Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. The political status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is one of the most violently disputed issues in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous They are areas Israel captured from Jordan, and Syria during the Six-Day War. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt The term was also used to describe the Sinai Peninsula, which was returned to Egypt as part of the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.

The term of 'Israeli-occupied territories' was also used to encompass the Gaza strip which was occupied by Egypt and captured by Israel in 1967. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west In 2005, Israel removed all of its residents and forces in the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the West Bank as part of its unilateral disengagement plan. Israel's unilateral disengagement plan ( Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות Tokhnit HaHitnatkut or תוכנית ההינתקות Tokhnit HaHinatkut in Israel still controls Gaza's airspace and sea access. Israel also regulates Gaza's travel and trade with the rest of the world^[132]. Inner control of the area is in the hands of the Hamas government. Since the 2007 battle for Gaza, the Gaza Strip has been controlled by Hamas, while Hamas' political and military rival Fatah, controls

Following Israel's capture of these territories, settlements consisting of Israeli citizens were established within each of them. Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel has applied civilian law to the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, incorporating them into its territory and offering their inhabitants Israeli citizenship. The Golan Heights Law is the Israeli law which applies Israel's government and laws to the Golan Heights. The Jerusalem Law is a common name of Basic Law Jerusalem Capital of Israel passed by the Knesset on July 30, 1980 (17th In contrast, the West Bank has remained under military occupation, and is widely seen – by Israel, the Palestinians, and the international community alike – as the site of a future Palestinian state. Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently Most negotiations relating to the territories have been on the basis of United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, which calls on Israel to withdraw from occupied territories in return for peaceful actions from Arab states (see Land for peace). United Nations Security Council Resolution 242 (S/RES/242 was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967 Land for peace is a general principle proposed for resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict by which the State of Israel would relinquish control of all or part ^{[133][134][135]}

The West Bank has a population consisting primarily of Arab Palestinians, including historic residents of the territories and refugees of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn ^[136] From their occupation in 1967 until 1993, the Palestinians living in these territories were under Israeli military administration. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (or COGAT) is a unit in the Israeli Ministry of Defense that engages in Since the Israel-PLO letters of recognition, most of the Palestinian population and cities have been under the internal jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, and only partial Israeli military control, although Israel has on several occasions redeployed its troops and reinstated full military administration during periods of unrest. The Palestinian territories in this context are defined to include West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza strip. The following is a list of cities in Palestinian National Authority administrated areas, although depending on which particular area each locality is located The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit In response to increasing attacks as part of the Second Intifada, the Israeli government started to construct the Israeli West Bank barrier,^[137] which opponents note is partially built within the West Bank. West bank walljpg|thumb|Aerial view looking east from the Israeli side ^[138]

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Israel

Chaim Weizmann, the first President of Israel, presenting U. The State of Israel joined the United Nations on May 11, 1949. Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( Hebrew: חיים עזריאל ויצמן – November 27, 1874 &ndash November 9, 1952) was a Zionist The President of the State of Israel (נשיא המדינה Nesi HaMedina, lit S. President Harry S. Truman with a Torah scroll in 1948

Israel maintains diplomatic relations with 161 countries and has 94 diplomatic missions around the world. A Sefer Torah ( Hebrew: ספר תורה; plural ספרי תורה Sifrei Torah; “Book(s of Torah ” or “Torah Scroll (s” A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in ^[139] Only three members of the Arab League have normalized relations with Israel; Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties in 1979 and 1994, respectively, and Mauritania opted for full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1999. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Two other members of the Arab League, Morocco and Tunisia, which had some diplomatic relations with Israel, severed them at the start of the Second Intifada in 2000. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. ^[140] Since 2003, however, ties with Morocco have been on the upswing, and Israel's foreign minister has visited the country. ^[141] Under Israeli law, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Yemen are enemy countries^[142] and Israeli citizens may not visit them without permission from the Ministry of the Interior. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya The Ministry of Interior in the State of Israel is one of Government offices that is responsible for local rule Citizenship and residency, ^[143] Since 1995, Israel has been a member of the Mediterranean Dialogue, which fosters cooperation between seven countries in the Mediterranean Basin and the members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The Mediterranean Dialogue first launched in 1994, is a forum of cooperation between NATO and seven countries of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The North Atlantic Treaty ^[144]

The United States, Turkey, Germany, the UK and India are among Israel's closest allies. Israel–United States relations have evolved from an initial United States policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish homeland in 1947 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Relations between Israel and Republic of India did not exist until 1992 but since then the two countries have developed relationships The United States was the first country to recognize the State of Israel, followed by the Soviet Union. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 It may regard Israel as its primary ally in Southwest Asia, based on shared political and religious values. Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. ^[145] Although Turkey and Israel did not establish full diplomatic relations until 1991,^[146] Turkey has cooperated with the State since its recognition of Israel in 1949. However, Turkey's ties to the other Muslim-majority nations in the region have at times resulted in pressure from Arab states to temper its relationship with Israel. ^[147] Germany's strong ties with Israel include cooperation on scientific and educational endeavors and the two states remain strong economic and military partners. ^[148][149] India established full diplomatic ties with Israel in 1992 and has fostered a strong military and cultural partnership with the country since then. ^[150] The UK has kept full diplomatic relations with Israel since its formation having had two visits from heads of state in 2007. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It also has a strong trade relationship, Israel being the 23rd largest market. Relations between the two countries were also made stronger by former prime minister Tony Blair's efforts for a two state resolution. Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair (born 6 May 1953 is a British Politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to The UK is seen as having a "natural" relationship with Israel on account of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement ^[151] Iran had diplomatic relations with Israel under the Pahlavi dynasty^[152] but withdrew its recognition of Israel during the Iranian Revolution. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed ^[153]

Military

Main article: Israel Defense Forces

See also: Israeli Security Forces and Nuclear weapons and Israel

Arrow missile test launch

The Israel Defense Forces consists of the Israeli Army, Israeli Air Force and Israeli Sea Corps. The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit Security forces in Israel include a variety of organizations including law enforcement, Military, Paramilitary, governmental Israel is widely believed to be the sixth country in the world to develop Nuclear weapons and to be one of four nuclear-armed countries not recognized The Arrow "Interceptor" (טיל חץ /til xɛts/) ABM is a theater missile defense (TMD system it is the first missile developed by The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit The Israeli GOC Army headquarters (מפקדת זרוע היבשה Mifkedet Zro'a HaYabasha) abbreviated as Mazi (מז"י is a multi-corps command The Israeli Air Force ( IAF; Hebrew: זרוע האויר והחלל Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, "Air and Space Arm" commonly known as חיל It was founded during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War out of paramilitary organizations – chiefly the Haganah – that preceded the establishment of the state. A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force but which are not regarded as having the same status Haganah ( Hebrew: "The Defense" ההגנה was a Jewish Paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine ^[154] The IDF also draws upon the resources of the Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman), which works with the Mossad and Shabak. For the continent in JRR Tolkien 's Middle-earth Legendarium, see Aman, for the Jordanian Organization see Aman Jordan The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations ^[155] The involvement of the Israel Defense Forces in major wars and border conflicts has made it one of the most battle-trained armed forces in the world. ^[156][157]

The majority of Israelis are drafted into the military at the age of eighteen. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority Men serve three years and women serve two years. ^[158] Following compulsory service, Israeli men join the reserve forces and do several weeks of reserve duty every year until their forties. The Israel Defense Forces ( IDF) (צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit Most women are exempt from reserve duty. Israeli Arabs (except the Druze) and those engaged in full-time religious studies are exempt from military service, although the exemption of yeshiva students has been a source of contention in Israeli society for many years. Arab citizens of Israel refers to Arabs or Arabic -speaking people who are Citizens of Israel who are not Jewish. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon The Tal committee was an Israeli public committee appointed on August 22, 1999 by then prime minister and defense minister Ehud Barak, which was headed ^[159][160] An alternative for those who receive exemptions on various grounds is Sherut Leumi, or national service, which involves a program of service in hospitals, schools and other social welfare frameworks. Sherut Leumi (שירות לאומי lit National Service) is an alternative voluntary National service in Israel for those that cannot or do not wish ^[161] As a result of its conscription program, the IDF maintains approximately 168,000 active troops and an additional 408,000 reservists. ^[162]

The nation's military relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems designed and manufactured in Israel as well as some foreign imports. The military equipment of Israel includes a wide array of arms tanks planes cannons armored vehicles The United States is a particularly notable foreign contributor; they are expected to provide the country with $30 billion in military aid between 2008 and 2017. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[163] The Israeli- and U. S. -designed Arrow missile is one of the world's only operational anti-ballistic missile systems. The Arrow "Interceptor" (טיל חץ /til xɛts/) ABM is a theater missile defense (TMD system it is the first missile developed by An anti-ballistic missile (ABM is a Missile designed to counter Ballistic missiles (a missile for Missile defense) ^[164] Since the Yom Kippur War, Israel has developed a network of reconnaissance satellites. The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War (מלחמת יום הכיפורים transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or Communications satellite deployed for ^[165] The success of the Ofeq program has made Israel one of seven countries capable of launching such satellites. Ofeq, also spelled Offek or Ofek (אופק lit Horizon is the designation of a series of Israeli Reconnaissance satellites All Ofeq ^[166] The country has also developed its own main battle tank, the Merkava. Tank classification is a Taxonomy of identifying either the intended role or weight class of Tanks The classification by role was used primarily during The Merkava ( Hebrew:, Chariot) is the Main battle tank of the Israel Defense Forces. Since its establishment, Israel has spent a significant portion of its gross domestic product on defense. In 1984, for example, the country spent 24%^[167] of its GDP on defense. Today, that figure has dropped to 7. 3%. ^[2]

Israel has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and maintains a policy of deliberate ambiguity toward its nuclear capabilities, though it is widely regarded as possessing nuclear weapons. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty ( NPT or NNPT) is a Treaty to limit the spread A policy of deliberate ambiguity (also known as a policy of strategic ambiguity) is the practice by a nation of being intentionally ambiguous on certain aspects of its Foreign Israel is widely believed to possess a substantial arsenal (an estimated 100 to 200 of Nuclear weapons and maintains intercontinental-range Ballistic missiles to deliver ^[168] After the Gulf War in 1991, when Israel was attacked by Iraqi Scud missiles, a law was passed requiring all apartments and homes in Israel to have a mamad, a reinforced security room impermeable to chemical and biological substances. Scud is a series of Tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War and exported widely to other countries ^[169]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Israel

See also: Silicon Wadi and Tourism in Israel

A main business district in Ramat Gan outside Tel Aviv, where the diamond stock exchange is located

Israel is considered one of the most advanced countries in the Southwest Asia in economic and industrial development. The economy of Israel is diversified with substantial government ownership and a rapidly developing high-tech sector Silicon Wadi (עמק הסיליקון Emek HaSilikon, lit: "Silicon Valley" is an area with a high concentration of High-tech industries in Tourism in Israel includes a rich variety of historical and religious sites in the Holy Land, as well as modern beach resorts Archaeological tourism, Ramat Gan (רָמַת גַּן is a city in the Tel Aviv district of Israel, which borders Tel Aviv to its west The Diamond Exchange District is a district of the Israeli city of Ramat Gan. Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. The country has been ranked highest in the region on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index^[170] as well as in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e The Ease of Doing Business Index is an index created by the World Bank. The World Economic Forum (WEF is a Geneva -based Non-profit foundation best known for its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland The Global Competitiveness Report is a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum. ^[15] It has the second-largest number of startup companies in the world (after the United States) and the largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies outside North America. A startup company or start-up is a Company with a limited operating history The NASDAQ (acronym of National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) is an American Stock exchange. ^[171] In 2007, Israel had the 44th-highest gross domestic product and 22nd-highest gross domestic product per capita (at purchasing power parity) at US$232. Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 7 billion and US$33,299, respectively^[4]. In 2007, Israel was invited to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,^[172] which promotes cooperation between countries that adhere to democratic principles and operate free market economies. A free market is a Market in which property rights are voluntarily exchanged at a price arranged completely by the mutual consent of sellers and buyers ^[173]

Despite limited natural resources, intensive development of the agricultural and industrial sectors over the past decades has made Israel largely self-sufficient in food production, apart from grains and beef. Agriculture is a major industry in Israel with the country being a net exporter of food as well as a world-leader in agricultural technologies Other major imports to Israel, totaling US$47. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 8 billion in 2006, include fossil fuels, raw materials, and military equipment. Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source Fuels that is Hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the Earth’s crust. ^[2] Leading exports include fruits, vegetables, pharmaceuticals, software, chemicals, military technology, and diamonds; in 2006, Israeli exports reached US$42. A drug, broadly speaking is any chemical substance that when absorbed into the body The Diamond industry in Israel is an important world player in producing cut Diamonds for Wholesale. 86 billion. ^[2] Israel is a global leader in water conservation and geothermal energy,^[174] and its development of cutting-edge technologies in software, communications and the life sciences have evoked comparisons with Silicon Valley. Water conservation refers to reducing the use of water The goals of water conservation efforts include Sustainability - To ensure availability for Geothermal power (from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth and therme, meaning heat is energy generated by heat stored in the earth or the collection Silicon Wadi (עמק הסיליקון Emek HaSilikon, lit: "Silicon Valley" is an area with a high concentration of High-tech industries in For the valley nicknamed "Silicone Valley" see San Fernando Valley. ^[175][176] Intel^[177] and Microsoft^[178] built their first overseas research and development centers in Israel, and other high-tech multi-national corporations, such as IBM, Cisco Systems, and Motorola, have opened facilities in the country. Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer The phrase research and development (also R and D or more often R&D) according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology Motorola Inc ( is an American, multinational Fortune 100, Telecommunications company based in Schaumburg Illinois. In July 2007, U. S. billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway bought an Israeli company Iscar, its first non-U. Warren Buffett (born August 30 1930 is an American Investor, Businessman, and Philanthropist. Berkshire Hathaway ( for supervoting shares and for nonvoting shares is a conglomerate Holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska Iscar Metalworking is a toolmaking company based in Israel, founded by Stef Wertheimer. S. acquisition, for $4 billion. ^[179] Since the 1970s, Israel has received economic aid from the United States, whose loans account for the bulk of Israel's external debt,^[2] although that aid is expected to end in 2008. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[163]

Tourism, especially religious tourism, is another important industry in Israel, with the country's temperate climate, beaches, archaeological and historical sites, and unique geography also drawing tourists. Religious tourism, also commonly referred to as Faith tourism, is a form of Tourism whereby people of faith travel individually or in groups for pilgrimage missionary Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos Israel's security problems have taken their toll on the industry, but the number of incoming tourists is on the rebound. ^[180]

Science and education

Main article: Education in Israel

See also: Science and technology in Israel and List of universities and colleges in Israel

The particle accelerator at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot

Israel has the highest school life expectancy in Southwest Asia, and is tied with Japan for second-highest school life expectancy on the Asian continent (after South Korea). Education in Israel plays a major part in the life and culture of the country Note this article is about the exact sciences natural sciences and engineering There are eight official universities in Israel. In addition there are a few dozen Colleges and other institutes of higher learning as well as about a dozen The Weizmann Institute of Science (מכון ויצמן למדע known as Machon Weizmann is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia (largely overlapping with the Middle East) is the southwestern portion of Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː ^[181] Israel similarly has the highest literacy rate in Southwest Asia, according to the United Nations. traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen, The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[182] The State Education Law, passed in 1953, established five types of schools: state secular, state religious, ultra orthodox, communal settlement schools, and Arab schools. The public secular is the largest school group, and is attended by the majority of Jewish and non-Arab pupils in Israel. Most Arabs send their children to schools where Arabic is the language of instruction. ^[183]

Education is compulsory in Israel for children between the ages of three and eighteen. Compulsory education is Education which children are required by law to receive and governments to provide ^[184][185] Schooling is divided into three tiers – primary school (grades 1–6), middle school (grades 7–9), and high school (grades 10–12) – culminating with Bagrut matriculation exams. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory Middle school or Junior High School serves as a "bridge" between the Elementary School and the High School High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution The Te'udat Bagrut, also written Te'udat Bagroot, (תעודת בגרות lit Proficiency in core subjects such as mathematics, Bible, Hebrew language, Hebrew and general literature, English, history, and civics is necessary to receive a Bagrut certificate. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States ^[186] In Arab, Christian and Druze schools, the exam on Biblical studies is replaced by an exam in Islam, Christianity or Druze heritage. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings ^[187] In 2003, over half of all Israeli twelfth graders earned a matriculation certificate. ^[188]

Israel's eight public universities are subsidized by the state. ^[186][189] The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel's oldest university, houses the Jewish National and University Library, the world's largest repository of books on Jewish subjects. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים الجامعة العبرية في القدس abbreviated HUJI) is ^[190] In 2006, the Hebrew University was ranked 60th^[191] and 119th^[192] in two surveys of the world's top universities. Other major universities in the country include the Technion, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, the University of Haifa, and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Technion &ndash Israel Institute of Technology (הטכניון &ndash מכון טכנולוגי לישראל is an internationally-acclaimed Institute of technology in The Weizmann Institute of Science (מכון ויצמן למדע known as Machon Weizmann is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. Tel Aviv University (TAU אוניברסיטת תל־אביב את"א is Israel 's largest on-site University, located in Tel Aviv. The University of Haifa (אוניברסיטת חיפה is a University in Haifa, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (אוניברסיטת בן גוריון בנגב was founded in 1969, in Beersheba, Israel. Israel ranks third in the world in the number of citizens who hold university degrees (20 percent of the population). ^[193][194] During the 1990s, an influx of a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union (forty percent of whom were university graduates) helped boost Israel's high-tech sector. The big immigration wave of Jews from the Commonwealth of Independent States to Israel during the 1990s actually started during the late 1980s with the opening of The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 ^[193] Israel has produced four Nobel Prize-winning scientists^[195] and publishes among the most scientific papers per capita of any country in the world. The Nobel Prize (Nobelpriset (Nobelprisen is a Swedish prize established in the 1895 will of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel; it was first awarded in Peace, Literature ^[196][197] In 2003, Ilan Ramon became Israel's first astronaut, serving as payload specialist of STS-107, the fatal mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Ilan Ramon ( June 20 1954 - February 1 2003; אילן רמון) was a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force, and later STS-107 was a Space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Columbia, launched January 16, 2003. Space Shuttle Columbia ( NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy Space shuttle in NASA 's

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Israel

See also: Israeli settlement, Languages of Israel, and Arab citizens of Israel

Israel's population, as of 2008, is 7. This article discusses the Demographics of Israel. See also Israelis. Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. The Israeli population is a linguistically and culturally diverse community Arab citizens of Israel refers to Arabs or Arabic -speaking people who are Citizens of Israel who are not Jewish. 28 million. ^[3] Of those, over 260,000 Israeli citizens lived in the West Bank settlements^{[198][199][200]} such as Ma'ale Adumim and Ariel, and communities that predated the establishment of the State but were re-established after the Six-Day War, in cities such as Hebron and Gush Etzion. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Ma'ale Adumim (מעלה אדומים is an Israeli Settlement and city located east of Jerusalem in the West Bank and on the edge of the Judean The city of Ariel (אֲרִיאֵל اريئيل is an Israeli settlement on the West Bank, in the Biblical region of Samaria near the ancient Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt Hebron ( al-Ḫalīl or al-Khalīl, Standard Hebrew: Ḥevron Tiberian Hebrew: Ḥeḇrôn is the largest city in the West Bank, located in the south Gush Etzion (גוש עציון literally bloc of Etzion) refers to a group of Jewish villages established from the 1920s south of Jerusalem on the northern part 18,000 Israelis live in the Golan Heights. Borders of Israel The Golan Heights ( الجولان al-Jawlān, הגולן ha-Golan) is a strategic Plateau and mountainous ^[201] In 2006, there were 250,000 Jews living in East Jerusalem. East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. ^[202] The total number of Israeli settlers is over 500,000 (6. 5 % of the Israeli population). Approximately 7,800 Israelis lived in settlements in the Gaza Strip until they were evacuated by the government as part of its 2005 disengagement plan. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Israel's unilateral disengagement plan ( Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות Tokhnit HaHitnatkut or תוכנית ההינתקות Tokhnit HaHinatkut in ^[203]

Israel has two official languages, being Hebrew and Arabic. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[2] Hebrew is the primary language of the state and spoken by the majority of the population. Arabic is spoken by the Arab minority and Jews who immigrated to Israel from Arab lands. Most Israelis can communicate reasonably well in English, as many television programs are in English and many schools begin to teach English in the early grades. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States As a country of immigrants, dozens of languages can be heard on the streets of Israel. Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) A large influx of people from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia have made Russian and Amharic widely spoken in Israel. The Jewish Aliyah from Ethiopia began during the mid-1970s during which the majority of the Jewish Ethiopians immigrated to Israel. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Amharic (አማርኛ amarəñña) is a Semitic language spoken in North Central Ethiopia by the Amhara. Between 1990 and 1994, the immigration of Jews from the former Soviet Union increased Israel's population by twelve percent. The big immigration wave of Jews from the Commonwealth of Independent States to Israel during the 1990s actually started during the late 1980s with the opening of ^[204] Over the last decade, immigration flows have also included significant numbers of workers from countries such as Romania, Thailand, and a number of countries in Africa and South America; gauging precise numbers is difficult because of the presence of "undocumented" immigrants, but estimates run in the region of 200,000. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a ^[205] Retention of Israel's population since 1948 when compared to population retention of other mass immigration countries is about on par, or Israel has better retention of its population. ^[206] Emigration from Israel (yerida) to other countries, primarily the United States and Canada, is described by demographers as modest^[207] but is often cited by Israeli government ministries as a major threat to Israel's future. Yerida ( is the somewhat derogatory term widely used to mean Emigration by Jews and Israelis from the State of Israel. ^{[208] [209]}

Religion

Main article: Religion in Israel

The Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Israel was established as a homeland for the Jewish people and is often referred to as the Jewish state. Religion in Israel is a central feature of the country and plays a major role in shaping Israeli culture and lifestyle The Western Wall (הכותל המערבי translit: HaKotel HaMa'aravi) sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall or simply the Kotel (lit The Dome of the Rock ( Arabic: مسجد قبة الصخرة translit The terms " Jewish state " and " homeland of the Jewish people " are used to describe the State of Israel and refer to its status as a Nation-state The country's Law of Return grants all Jews and those of Jewish lineage the right to Israeli citizenship. The Law of Return ( Hebrew: חוק השבות ḥok ha-shvūt) is Israeli legislation originating in 1950 that gives Jews those of Jewish ancestry PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Israel's nationality law defines the terms through which one can be granted Citizenship of the state of Israel. ^[210] Just over three quarters, or 75. 5%, of the population are Jews from a diversity of Jewish backgrounds. See also Judaism by country Jewish ethnic divisions refers to a number of distinct communities within the world's ethnically Jewish population Approximately 68% of Israeli Jews are Israeli-born, 22% are immigrants from Europe and the Americas, and 10% are immigrants from Asia and Africa (including the Arab World). Sabra (צבר is a term used to describe a native-born Israeli Jew. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America ^[211] The religious affiliation of Israeli Jews varies widely: 55% say they are "traditional," while 20% consider themselves "secular Jews," 17% define themselves as "Orthodox Jews"; the final 8% define themselves as "Haredi Jews. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Haredi or Chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. "^[212]

Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa

Making up 16. The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith. 2% of the population, Muslims constitute Israel's largest religious minority. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Israeli Arabs, who comprise 19. Arab citizens of Israel refers to Arabs or Arabic -speaking people who are Citizens of Israel who are not Jewish. 8% of the population, contribute significantly to that figure as over four fifths (82. 6%) of them are Muslim. Of the remaining Israeli Arabs, 8. 8% are Christian and 8. 4% are Druze. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon ^[213] Members of many other religious groups, including Buddhists and Hindus, maintain a presence in Israel, albeit in small numbers. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical ^[214]

Christians make up 2. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth 1% of the total population of Israel and consist of both Arab Christians and Messianic Jews. Messianic Judaism is a Christian movement that emphasizes the Jewish roots of the Christian religion ^[215]

The city of Jerusalem enjoys a special place in the hearts of Jews, Muslims, and Christians as the home of sites that are pivotal to their religious beliefs, such as the Western Wall, the Temple Mount, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The Western Wall (הכותל המערבי translit: HaKotel HaMa'aravi) sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall or simply the Kotel (lit The Temple Mount ( הַר הַבַּיִת, Har haBáyit) also called the Noble Sanctuary ( الحرم القدسي الشريف, al-haram Al-Aqsa Mosque ( Arabic:المسجد الاقصى /æl'mæsdʒɪd æl'ɑqsˁɑ/ {{Audio|ArAqsaMosque The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Sanctum Sepulchrum also called the Church of the Resurrection, ( Greek: Ναός της Αναστάσεως Naos tis Anastaseos Other landmarks of religious importance are located in the West Bank, among them the birthplace of Jesus and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem, and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Church_of_the_nativity_bethjpg|thumb|200px|View of The Church of the Nativity from Manger Square]]The Church of the Nativity ( كنيسة المهد) in Bethlehem Rachel's Tomb ( Hebrew: קבר רחל Arabic: translit Qubbat Rakhil, trans Bethlehem ( بيت لحم,, lit "House of Meat" Βηθλεέμ Bethleém בית לחם Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread" is a The Cave of the Patriarchs ( Hebrew: מערת המכפלה Me'arat HaMachpela, Trans Hebron ( al-Ḫalīl or al-Khalīl, Standard Hebrew: Ḥevron Tiberian Hebrew: Ḥeḇrôn is the largest city in the West Bank, located in the south The administrative center of the Bahá'í Faith and the Shrine of the Báb are located at the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa and the leader of the faith is buried in Acre. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind The Shrine of the Báb is a structure in Haifa, Israel where the remains of the Báb, founder of Bábism and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh The Bahá'í World Centre is the name given to the administrative centre of the Bahá'í Faith. Haifa (חֵיפָה; حَيْفَا) is the largest City in Northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country with Apart from maintenance staff, there is no Bahá'í community in Israel, although it is a destination for pilgrimages. A Bahá'í pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Haifa, Akká, and Bahjí at the Bahá'í World Centre in Northwest ^[216][217]

Culture

Main article: Culture of Israel

Further information: Israeli literature and Music of Israel

See also: Archaeology of Israel, Jewish cuisine, Revival of the Hebrew language, Secular Jewish culture, and Architecture of Israel

Hebrew Book Week 2005 in Jerusalem

Israel's diverse culture stems from the diversity of the population: Jews from around the world have brought their cultural and religious traditions with them, creating a melting pot of Jewish customs and beliefs. The culture of Israel was in development long before the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948 and is a combination of secular life and religious heritage See also Hebrew literature. Israeli literature, generally referred to as Hebrew literature is poetry and prose written in modern Hebrew as part of The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical The archaeology of Israel is researched intensively in the universities of the region and also attracts considerable international interest on account of the region's Biblical Jewish cuisine is a collection of international Cookery traditions linked by Jewish Dietary laws ( Kashrus) and Jewish holiday traditions The revival of the Hebrew language was a process that took place in Europe and Israel at the end of the 19th century and Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena above all it is the Culture of secular communities of Jewish people but it can also include The architecture of Israel is composed of many different styles of building brought in by those who have occupied the country over the ages sometimes modified to suit the local climate The Hebrew Book Week is an annual event celebrating literature in the State of Israel. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[218] Israel is the only country in the world where life revolves around the Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew calendar (הלוח העברי ha'luach ha'ivri) or Jewish calendar is a Lunisolar calendar used by Jews for predominantly religious Work and school holidays are determined by the Jewish holidays, and the official day of rest is Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Note for exact dates in the Gregorian calendar see Jewish holidays 2000-2050. For the Gregorian dates of Jewish Holidays see Jewish holidays 2000-2050. Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath ^[219] Israel's substantial Arab minority has left its imprint on Israeli culture in such spheres as architecture,^[220] music,^[221] and cuisine. ^[222]

Israeli literature is primarily poetry and prose written in Hebrew, as part of the renaissance of Hebrew as a spoken language since the mid-19th century, although a small body of literature is published in other languages, such as Arabic and English. See also Hebrew literature. Israeli literature, generally referred to as Hebrew literature is poetry and prose written in modern Hebrew as part of By law, two copies of all printed matter published in Israel must be deposited in the Jewish National and University Library at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים الجامعة العبرية في القدس abbreviated HUJI) is In 2001, the law was amended to include audio and video recordings, and other non-print media. ^[223] In 2006, 85 percent of the 8,000 books transferred to the library were in Hebrew. ^[224] Hebrew Book Week is held each June and features book fairs, public readings, and appearances by Israeli authors around the country. The Hebrew Book Week is an annual event celebrating literature in the State of Israel. During the week, Israel's top literary award, the Sapir Prize, is presented. The Sapir Prize of Israel is an annual prize awarded for a work of fine literature In 1966, Shmuel Yosef Agnon shared the Nobel Prize in Literature with German Jewish author Nelly Sachs. Shmuel Yosef Agnon ( Hebrew: שמואל יוסף עגנון, August 8, 1887 - February 17, 1970) was a Nobel Prize The Nobel Prize in Literature (Nobelpriset i litteratur is awarded annually since 1901 to an author from any country who has in the words from the will of Alfred Nelly Sachs, ( 10 December, 1891 – 12 May, 1970) was a German Poet and Dramatist whose Nazi experience ^[225]

Batsheva Dance Company in Tel Aviv

Israeli music contains musical influences from all over the world; Yemenite music, Hasidic melodies, Arabic music, Greek music, jazz, and pop rock are all part of the music scene. The Batsheva Dance Company is a honored dance company based in Tel Aviv, Israel and founded by Martha Graham and Baroness Batsheva De Rothschild Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel The music of Israel is a unique combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical Yemen is a country on the Arabian Peninsula, and the music of Yemen is primarily known abroad for a series of pan-Arab popular stars and the Yemenite Jews Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew Arabic music or Arab music ( Arabic: موسيقى عربية;) includes several genres and styles of Music ranging from Arabic classical The musical legacy of Greece is as diverse as its history. Cypriot music has certain similarities to traditional Greek Music, and their Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Pop rock is a hybrid of Pop music and Rock music that uses catchy pop style with light lyrics over top of guitar-based songs ^[226][227] The nation's canonical folk songs, known as "Songs of the Land of Israel," deal with the experiences of the pioneers in building the Jewish homeland. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous ^[228] Among Israel's world-renowned^[229] orchestras is the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which has been in operation for over seventy years and today performs more than two hundred concerts each year. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisre'elit ^[230] Israel has also produced many musicians of note, some achieving international stardom. Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman are among the internationally-acclaimed musicians born in Israel. Itzhak Perlman (born August 31, 1945) is an Israeli American Violin Virtuoso, conductor, and Pedagogue Pinchas Zukerman (פנחס צוקרמן born July 16, 1948) is a noted Israeli Violinist violist, and conductor who was Israel has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest nearly every year since 1973, winning the competition three times and hosting it twice. ^[231] Eilat has hosted its own international music festival, the Red Sea Jazz Festival, every summer since 1987. Eilat (Hebrew אילת should not be confused with the nearby kibbutz of Eilot (Hebrew אילות ^[232] Continuing the strong theatrical traditions of the Yiddish theater in Eastern Europe, Israel maintains a vibrant theatre scene. Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jewish community Founded in 1918, Habima Theatre in Tel Aviv is Israel's oldest repertory theater company and national theater. Habima National Theatre (הבימה - התיאטרון הלאומי lit For other meanings of repertory please see Repertory (disambiguation. ^[233]

The Israel Museum in Jerusalem is one of Israel's most important cultural institutions^[234] and houses the Dead Sea scrolls,^[235] along with an extensive collection of Judaica and European art. The Israel Museum Jerusalem (מוזיאון ישראל ירושלים Muze'on Yisrael Yerushalayim) was founded in 1965 as Israel 's National museum. The Dead Sea Scrolls consist of roughly 1000 documents including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1979 in eleven Caves Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Also see articles History of painting, Western painting Western Art' redirects here ^[234] Israel's national Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, houses the world's largest archive of Holocaust-related information. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Yad Vashem (יד ושם also spelled Yad VaShem; "Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority" is Israel 's official memorial to the Jewish ^[236] Beth Hatefutsoth (the Diaspora Museum), on the campus of Tel Aviv University, is an interactive museum devoted to the history of Jewish communities around the world. Beit Hatefutsot or Beth Hatefutsoth ( Hebrew: בית התפוצות "The Diaspora House" — the Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Tel Aviv University (TAU אוניברסיטת תל־אביב את"א is Israel 's largest on-site University, located in Tel Aviv. ^[237] Apart from the major museums in large cities, there are high-quality artspaces in many towns and kibbutzim. A kibbutz ( Hebrew: קיבוץ קִבּוּץ lit "gathering clustering" plural kibbutzim) is a collective community in Mishkan Le'Omanut on Kibbutz Ein Harod Meuhad is the largest art museum in the north of the country. Ein Harod (Meuhad (עין חרוד מאוחד is a Kibbutz situated in the Jezreel Valley near Mount Gilboa in northern Israel. ^[238]

Sports

Main article: Sports in Israel

Ramat Gan Stadium, Israel's largest stadium

Sports and physical fitness have not always been paramount in Jewish culture. Sport in Israel is popular with a wide range of sports played competitively and for leisure Ramat Gan Stadium (איצטדיון רמת-גן Itstadyon Ramat Gan) is the national football stadium in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan Athletic prowess, which was prized by the ancient Greeks, was looked down upon as an unwelcome intrusion of Hellenistic values. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. Maimonides, however, who was both a rabbi and a physician, emphasized the importance of physical activity and keeping the body in shape. Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master A physician, medical practitioner or medical doctor who practices Medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human Health This approach received a boost in the 19th century from the physical culture campaign of Max Nordau, and in the early 20th century when the Chief Rabbi of Palestine, Abraham Isaac Kook, declared that "the body serves the soul, and only a healthy body can ensure a healthy soul". Max Simon Nordau ( July 29, 1849 - January 23, 1923) born Simon Maximilian Südfeld, Südfeld Simon Miksa in Pest Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement Abraham Isaac Kook (1865–1935 was the first Ashkenazi Chief rabbi of the British Mandate for Palestine, the founder of the Religious Zionist ^[239]

The Maccabiah Games, an Olympic-style event for Jewish athletes, was inaugurated in the 1930s, and has been held every four years since then. The Maccabiah Games ( מַכַּבִּיָּה) is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics. The most popular spectator sports in Israel today are association football and basketball. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m ^[240] In 1964 Israel hosted and won the Asian Nations Cup before joining UEFA in 1994. The Israeli National Football Team (נבחרת ישראל בכדורגל is the national football team of Israel and is controlled by the Israel Football Association The Union of European Football Associations (Union des associations européennes de football is the administrative and controlling body for European football. Ligat ha'Al is the country's premier soccer league, and Ligat Winner is the premier basketball league. ^[241] Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C. has won the European championship in basketball five times. Maccabi "Electra" Tel Aviv (מכבי "אלקטרה" תל-אביב is a professional Basketball team based in Tel Aviv, playing in the FIBA Champions Cup for men's clubs-origins and early history (1958-2000 L'Equipe is widely credited for birthing the idea of European club competition ^[242] Beersheba has become a national chess center and home to many chess champions from the former Soviet Union. Beersheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע Be'er Sheva, بئر السبع, Birüssebi is the largest City in the Negev desert of southern Chess is a recreational and competitive Game played between two players. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The city hosted the World Team Chess Championship in 2005, and chess is taught in the city's kindergartens. ^[243] Two years later, in 2007, an Israeli tied for second place in the World Chess Championship. See also Development of the World Chess Championship The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the Board game Chess ^[244] To date, Israel has won six Olympic medals, including a gold medal in windsurfing at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Israel has competed at the Olympic Games as a nation since 1952 The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games Windsurfing is a surface water sport using a windsurf board also commonly called a sailboard usually two to five meters long and powered by a single sail The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated ^[245]

References

Bibliography

External links

Government

• (Hebrew) Israel Government Portal (with links to English, Arabic versions)
• (Hebrew) Prime Minister's Office, official site (with links to English, Arabic versions)
• (Hebrew) President of the State of Israel, official site (with links to English, Arabic versions)
• The Knesset, official site of Israel's parliament
• (Hebrew) The Supreme Court, official site (with links to English, Arabic versions)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, official site
• (Hebrew) Central Bureau of Statistics, official site (with links to English, Arabic versions)
• Ministry of Tourism, official site
• Ministry of Industry Trade & Labor Official Site
• Ministry of Religion
• Ministry of construction and Housing

General reference

• Israel entry at The World Factbook
• Encyclopædia Britannica entry on Israel
• BBC country profile of Israel
• Library of Congress Country Studies entry on Israel
• Columbia University library related to Israel
• hWeb - Israel-Palestine in Maps

Media

• The Jerusalem Post
• Ynet News, based on Tel Aviv
• Israel Broadcasting Authority, state broadcasting network (Hebrew) (with link to English version)
• Israel National News
• Kol Israel Voice of Israel
• HaAretz

Other

• Israel travel guide from Wikitravel
• Israel at WikiMapia
• Israel at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Israel