Israel (Hebrew: מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisra-el; Arabic: دولَة إِسرائيل Dawlat Isrā'īl) is a small yet diverse Middle Eastern country with a long coastline on the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a small window on the Red Sea at the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba). Israel is bordered by Egypt and Gaza Strip to the southwest, by Jordan and the West Bank to the east (with which it shares a border along the Jordan River and the Dead Sea), and by Syria and Lebanon to the north.

Although Israel was established specifically for the Jewish people, Israel is considered a Holy Land (together with areas of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Territories), to four major world religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá'í Faith - as well as a vibrant modern history and culture, based in no small part on the diverse, mostly immigrant origins of its inhabitants from the Arab world and the Jewish Diaspora. These aspects make Israel a fascinating (if sometimes challenging) drawcard for many travellers and pilgrims.

Israel is a highly urbanized and economically developed society and is therefore best divided for the traveller into its main cities and towns, followed by the regions and other sites.

Regions

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Israel possesses a number of diverse regions, with landscapes varying between coast, mountain, valley and desert landscapes, with just about everything in between. Beyond the towns and cities, each region of Israel holds its own unique attractions. The metropolitan areas of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv form very much their own regions; from north to south, however, Israel's regions are as follows:

The Upper Galilee — from Dan at the base of Mount Hermon down to the Beit haKerem Valley in south, and from the North Coast across to the Sea of Galilee

The Lower Galilee — the hills immediately north of the Jezreel Valley

the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) — diverse landscapes and settlements around the lake, many with connections to the life of Christ

The North Coast — sometimes called "Western Galilee", extends along the Mediterranean shore from Haifa to Rosh Haniqra and the Lebanese border

The Jezreel Valley — an extensive inland valley, largely rural, extending inland from west of Haifa to the Jordan Valley

The Beth Shean Valley — the core of the north Jordan River valley

The Carmel Range — a small yet diverse region of hills just south of Haifa

The Sharon — broadly speaking, the coastal plain north of Tel Aviv, south of the Carmel Range

The Shephelah — the fertile, hilly hinterland between the coastal plain and the Judean highlands

The Coastal Plain — location of the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon

The Dead Sea — the lake and immediate surroundings forming the lowest point on Earth

The Negev — desert covering much of the south of Israel, including Machtesh Ramon

Occupied Territories

The following areas have been under Israeli jurisdiction since 1967. In the West bank and the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Authority exercises various degrees of control in large parts of the territories.

Gaza Strip — a narrow coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean. Israel withdrew from this region in 2005, and it has since been under control of the Palestinian Authority.

West Bank — a larger region to the west of the Jordan river. Government services (security, medical service, etc.) are provided by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, or a combination, depending on the exact location.

Golan Heights — Occupied in 1967 by Israel, annexed in 1980, but still claimed by Syria.

Cities

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Akko (Acre) — a fascinating historical city on the far north coast of Israel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a pilgrimage site for the Bahá'ís.

Beer Sheva — the capital of the Negev region.

Haifa — Israel's third largest city, main port and industrial city in the north of the country. Also world center of the Bahá'í Faith, home of the beautiful Shrine of the Báb and Terraces and home to an interesting German Quarter.

Eilat — the 'Goa of the Middle East', Israel's window on the Red Sea, a vibrant resort city.

Jerusalem — the political and spiritual capital of Israel, as well as city sacred for millennia to three religions: Jews (the site of the Temple), Christians (the scene of Christ's Passion), and Muslims (site of the al-Aqsa Mosque.). Containing the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Old City.

Nazareth — the hometown of Jesus, now the largest Arab city in Israel

Modiin

Rishon LeZion — "The First to Zion"

Tel Aviv — first Hebrew city in 2000 years and one of the three largest, the most vibrant city in the country, a mere century old but incorporating the ancient port city of Jaffa and a sprawling metropolis along the coastal plain - includes the White City cultural UNESCO World Heritage site of Bauhaus architecture.

Tiberias — located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, a modern resort town with an ancient background

Other destinations

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Israel National Trail — a marked leisure trail (hiking or cycling) covering 940 kilometers from north to south.

A large number of major attractions in Israel are located some distance from large towns and cities:

Archaeological and historical sites
Israel has a vast amount of archaeological and historical sites, and new ones seem to be discovered every year. The following is a selection of the most important and spectacular ones.

Belvoir Castle — a magnificently-located Crusader castle located high above the Sea of Galilee

Beth Shean — explore the remains of Canaanite, Egyptian and Romano-Byzantine cities

Caesarea — the evocative remnants of Herod the Great's Roman city by the sea

Hazor — the largest ancient site in Israel (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Masada — high on a plateau above the Dead Sea, the scene of the Zealots' last stand against the might of Rome, a powerful symbol for modern Israel (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Megiddo — an ancient Canaanite and Israelite city and the location of several key battles, both ancient and modern (the location of Armageddon) (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Nimrod Castle — a magnificently-located Crusader castle located above the Sea of Galilee

Safed — home to the Kabbalah mystical branch of Judaism, one of four Jewish holy cities, and home to an Old City and Artists Colony.

Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev — the four Nabatean towns of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Geographical / Natural Sites

The Dead Sea — the lowest point on Earth.

Ein Avdat — canyon situated in a National Park.

Mitzpe Ramon — crater (cliff) located in the middle of the Negev desert (the largest of three similar craters found in Israel)

Ein Gedi — nature reserve, kibbutz, and botanical gardens on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Sea of Galilee itself — the home of Christ, a freshwater lake located in northern Israel. Leisure and cultural activities can be enjoyed in fascinating surroundings.

Israel National Parks — a series of national parks up and down Israel.

Understand

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History

Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, Israel's Arab neighbors invaded the nation with the hope of regaining territory previously held by the Ottoman Empire. The Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank) and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward a permanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak of Palestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.

Economy
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, chemicals and chemical products, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, rubber, plastics, and textiles are the leading exports. For many years Israel posted sizable current account deficits, which were covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. However, the tight fiscal policy of recent years and the high growth rates have led Israel to a budget surplus in 2006. Roughly half of the government's foreign debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR during the period 1989-99 coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early 1990s. But growth began moderating in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 6.4% in 2000. But the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict, increasingly the declines in the high-technology and tourist sectors, and fiscal austerity measures in the face of growing inflation have led to declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002.

People

The most obvious division in Israel's society is between Jews, who make up 80% of the population in Israel proper and 15% in areas currently controlled by Israel (West Bank) and non-Jewish Israeli-Arabs, who make nearly all of the rest. In terms of religion, 77% are Jewish, 16% are Muslim, 4% are Christian and 2% are Druze (a Muslim offshoot considered heretical by mainstream Islam). While equality is theoretically guaranteed, in practice there are many restrictions on the Palestinian population, both legal (eg. military service is not mandatory) and de facto (difficulty in obtaining building permits, onerous security, job discrimination, etc). In particular, the rights of Palestinians who are not Israeli citizens are partially circumscribed.

There are also deep divisions within Jewish society. First is the ethnic division between the Ashkenazim, who trace their origins from Europe and are generally considered wealthier and politically better connected, and the Sephardim, or Mizrahim, who immigrated from the Middle East and North Africa. In recent years, the divide between these ethnic groups has, however, grown less acute.

While divisions have weakened as the native-born population has increased, religious tensions between secular and orthodox Jews have increased. The spectrum ranges from the ultra-orthodox haredim, only 6% of the population but able to wield a disproportionate amount of power thanks to Israel's fractious coalition politics, to 43% who are "religious" or "traditionalist" and 51% who consider themselves secular. While secular Jews can be found mainly in Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean coast, orthodox Jews are concentrated mostly in Jerusalem and to an increasing degree in the settlements in the Palestinian Territories.

Culture

Israelis sometimes compare themselves to the prickly pear or sabra: said to be tough and prickly on the outside yet sweet on the inside. Israelis are direct in a way that might seem abrupt, even rude, in other parts of the world. Directness and honesty are often valued over politeness and projection of niceness. Direct personal questions are common, and should not be taken as offensive. The information Israelis collect on you is meant to help you in a good way, not to set traps for you. Israelis are used to fighting for their right to exist and have to hold their own against the pressures of the family, religion, the army and other Israelis. Loud and heated debates and arguments are socially acceptable and should not be taken as a sign of hostility. Israelis are typically careful not to be perceived as a FRIAR, often translated as "sucker", meaning someone who pays too much, stands in line quietly as others jostle past and in general is taken advantage of instead of standing up.

But Israelis are also very kind and hospitable. When you make a friend here they will do the best to take care of you while you're in his country.

Israel's time is + 2 hrs from GMT so when it's 6 pm (GMT), 1 pm (EST), it's 8 pm in Israel. Daylight saving time (Summer time) begins on the last Friday before April 2nd, and ends on Saturday between the Jewish holidays of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.

Holidays
Public Holidays in Israel tend to follow the Jewish calendar and as such vary from year to year although tend to fall within the same few-week period. Different levels of activity stop in Israel depending on the festival or holiday, and different areas will see different levels of activity on these days. In general, Israel is a secular country, so most festivals won't see big changes in the levels of activity. Official national holidays are bolded.

Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah), Falls between Sept 5 & Oct 5

Fast Day of Gedaliah (Tsom Gedalyah ben Ahikam), Falls two days after the first day of Rosh Hashanah (New Year)

Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), Falls between Sept 14 & Oct 14. The holiest day of the year - this is the day 'when everything stops'.

Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) (Sukkot*), Falls between Sept 19 & Oct 19 (Only the first and last days are national holidays, however there may be some disruption during the intermediate days)

Assembly of the Eighth Day (Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret), Falls between Sept 26 & Oct 26

Yitzhak Rabin's Remembrance Day (Yom Hazikaron le Yitzhak Rabin)

Feast of Rededication (First Day) (Hanukkah), Falls between Nov 27 & Dec 27. Celebrated much less than in the US.

Tenth of Tevet Fast (Tsom Asarah b-Tevet)

Fifteenth of Shvat (Tu Bishvat). New Year for Trees

Fast of Esther (Ta`anit Ester)

Memorial Feast for the Triumph of Esther (Purim*), Falls between February 24 & March 26

Passover (Pesach), Between March 26 & April 25 (Only the first and last days are national holidays, however there may be some disruption during the intermediate days)

Seventh day of Passover (Shvi'i shel Pesach), Falls between April 1 & May 1

Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaZikaron LaShoah VeLaGevurah), Falls between April 7 & May 7. At 10 AM, air raid sirens sound and the entire country comes to an eerie standstill for two minutes. Places of entertainment are closed on this day and its eve.

Fallen Soldiers Remembrance Day (Yom Hazikaron), Falls between April 14 & May 14

Independence Day (Yom Ha-Atzmaut), Falls between April 15 & May 15

33rd day of the `Omer (Lag Ba'omer)

Jerusalem Day (Yom Herut Yerushalayim)

Pentecost (Shavuot), Falls between May 15 & June 14

Seventeenth of Tammuz fast (Tsom Shiva` Asar b-Tammuz)

Ninth of Av fast (Tisha B'Av). Destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples

Fifteenth of Av (Tu B'Av). Festival of Love

Get in

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Citizens from most European, North American and Australasian countries do not need a visa prior to arrival. Note that German citizens born before January 1, 1928, do have to apply for a visa in advance. This visa will be given if you were not heavily involved in events during the Nazi era and will be valid for the whole time your passport is valid. Further note that in some Arab states it constitutes a crime for their citizens to enter Israel at all. Even if you're an Arab-born citizen of a European or North American country having entered Israel may have consequences when returning to your country of birth.

Pay attention to the fact that many Arab countries (Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait) and a few other countries (Sudan and Afghanistan) deny entry to any person that has been to Israel. Not only an Israeli stamp puts your entry into these countries at risk but also a stamp from another country (such as Egypt or Jordan) that you can only receive in a border crossing point towards Israel. If arriving by air or by sea and wishing to go to Arab states with the same passport, try asking the Israeli immigration officer to put their stamp onto a separate piece of paper. Depending on the current situation, they are often willing to do this. Then you're safe not to be denied entry by the Arab states named above. Citizens of some countries (such as Germany or Czech Republic) have the possibility of applying for a second passport. This allows them to have an Israeli stamp in one passport and travel to the Arab states with another one.

Most European and American visitors get three months stay when they arrive by plane. In the past westerners entering by land have been given two weeks, this is no longer true (as of November 2005). Israeli immigration may take a dim view of travelers arriving from Arab countries, but you are unlikely to face anything worse than very time-consuming, and repetitive, but polite questioning. Depending on the situation, if you have stamps from other Arab countries in your passport, you should expect to be taken to one side (without any explanation) and eventually questioned. This can take anything from 10 minutes to several hours.

By plane

Israel's main international airport is Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport (code IATA:TLV, ICAO: LLBG) which is located approximately 40km from Jerusalem and 12 km from central Tel Aviv, and serves both cities. Ben Gurion acts as a hub for Israel's three main international airlines, El Al Israel's largest airline and flag carrier offering flights across the globe, Arkia Israel Airlines, Israel's largest domestic airline who also serve a number of European destinations, and Israir who also serve many European destinations as well as New York City. Around 50 international airlines fly to Ben Gurion airport from around the world.

Israel's second international airport (used mostly by charter carriers) is located at Ovda , and serves the south of Israel, predomenantly, Eilat (code: VDA)

From the airport to Jerusalem, take bus line 947 (7:00-21:00, every 20 minutes, 20 NIS). To Tel-Aviv and the rest of the country, take the direct Tel-Aviv train (3:53-23:23, every half an hour during day, every hour during night, 12 NIS). From Tel-Aviv to other destinations, continue by train or bus. Note that neither train nor bus service is available on Shabbat (Friday afternoon to Saturday sunset). Taxi service is also available, though not particularly cheap. A better option is a shared taxi, or sherut - these are available outside the airport terminal.

By boat

It is also possible to travel to Israel by boat. In Limassol in Cyprus, Louis Cruises, and Salamis Cruises have weekly cruise service every Wednesday evening. As of June 2006, Louis Cruises can take passengers one-way for 73 CYP (164 USD). Louis doesn't advertise one-ways on their website but you can either call or just buy the ticket at their offices (walking distance from the new port in Limassol). Salamis at first seemed to be very firm on not taking one-way passengers, however going on the day of the departure to the freighter offices of Salamis, it was possible to get on the boat for 100 CYP (50 CYP for children). The easiest way to get to Cyprus by boat is from Turkey to the Northern part. You will then need to cross the semi-open green line to the Greek side.

From Greece, Salamis Freighters (Mostly for cargo and vehicles) go on Wednesdays and Saturdays to Haifa through Limassol (Cyprus). The price from Limassol is 80 CYP per passenger and you can get the tickets at their office in Limassol in the new port area.

There are (Summer 2006) weekly round trip cruises from Ashdod and Haifa to Cyprus (Larnaca and/or Limassol) and Turkey (Alanya), however these are known to refuse one-way travelers - that is not to say it isn't worth a try as going from Turkey directly is simpler than going through Cyprus.

If you manage to hitch a lift on a freighter, Israel's major sea ports are Haifa and Ashdod. Private yachts use the marinas at Herzliya (north of Tel-Aviv), Ashkelon (South of Ashdod), Haifa and Tel Aviv.

It is also possible to visit Israel as an excursion from a cruise liner.

By road

There are land routes from both Egypt and Jordan from Israel. There are no land routes to either Syria or Lebanon owing to the continuing state of hostilities with these countries. The border crossings have security measures similar to the airports.

Jordan has three crossings with Israel: the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge (the shortest way between Amman and Jerusalem, the busiest crossing); the Jordan River (in the north); and Arava\Yitshak Rabin (2 km from Eilat). If you ask the immigration officers (Jordanian and Israeli) politely they will usually stamp a separate piece of paper. It's fairly straightforward to cross using a series of buses.

From Egypt you can cross the border at the Taba Border Terminal, near Eilat. From the terminal to Eilat, take bus number 15, or a taxi. The terminal is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement) and the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice.

Israeli rental cars are not generally permitted across the borders for insurance reasons.

By bus

Daily direct buses are available from Amman to Tel Aviv, Haifa and Nazareth, via the King Houssein bridge. Call the operator (+972-4-6573984) for details. There are also daily buses from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to Cairo, with prices ranging from 50-70$ return fare. Matzada tours (Tel 972-2-6235777) and Aviv tours (Tel 972-36041811) operate this route.

Get around

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In getting around Israel, be aware of the Sabbath: from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, train and bus services are not available in Israel (except in Haifa and Eilat, and limited sherut services - shared taxis, see below). Unless you have a car, or are willing to pay for a taxi (not shared), if you're daytripping on a Friday, you should start thinking about how to get back by noon at the latest, and you should plan on staying near your lodgings on Saturday.

Also note that both youth and students usually get discounts at buses and trains. Showing a valid student ID will usually entitle you for 10% discount for one-way long-distance travel, while for short distance bus travel those below the age of 18 can usually get half-priced Kartysia - a pack of 20 tickets.

By bus

Main Article: Bus travel in Israel

Buses are the most common form of public transportation for Israelis and travellers alike. They are cheap, fast and reliable. The only problem tourists will face is that it is very difficult to plan your journey through Israel by bus; a problem the main article Bus travel in Israel aims to solve. The extensive national bus system is run by a public corporation called Egged (pronounced "Eg-ged"), the second-largest bus network in the world. Additionally, a bus company called Dan operates solely in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Some other companies are active as well.

By sherut

Faster than normal buses are minivans, known as monit sherut or "service taxi", that generally follow major bus routes but can be hailed from anywhere. They are usually somewhat cheaper and somewhat quicker than buses, their operations hours may be longer - and maybe most importantly, in many cases the sherut runs 7 days a week, including on Shabbat.

For inter-city lines, if a driver is at a station he may wait until he has a full load of passengers before leaving. Ben Gurion Airport has a rule that drivers are supposed to leave one hour after getting their first passenger, but that rule seems to be left mostly ignored. The upshot of this is that unless you're with a group, or the Sherut already has a load of passengers, you might be in for a wait before you leave. Look for an almost full Sherut!

By train

One of the best advances in transport in Israel in recent years has been the modernisation of the train system, now set for major expansion. The system currently runs along Israel's Mediterranean coast, being particularly useful for connections between Haifa, Tel Aviv, Beer-Sheva and Ben-Gurion Airport, as well as a new link to Jerusalem.

Train fares are 5%-10% more expensive then equivalent bus fares (except for the line from Tel Aviv to Beer Sheva, with a train fare almost double that of the bus fare). The trains get very crowded on Sunday mornings, when soldiers travel to their bases and students to their universities.

By taxi

Taxis are very common in Israel. The driver should use the meter both inside and outside cities (in Hebrew, moneh), unless the passenger agrees to prefix a price. There are surcharges; for calling a taxi (3.50 NIS as of June 2006), for luggage (2.90 a piece) and for hailing a taxi at Ben Gurion airport (5 NIS). Drivers are known to try to cheat tourists by not turning on the meter to begin with and then fighting about the cost at the end of the ride. It is best to specify that you absolutely require the 'moneh' to be activated before you leave unless you know how much the trip should cost, in which case you can make a deal. However, if you are caught off guard some drivers will become extremely rude or even violent if you refuse to pay despite the meter never having been switched on. It is best to try to avoid this common situation but it is better to avoid any conflict with the driver by paying and learning rather than saving your money and risking an unpredictable escalation.

By thumb

Israel is known to be one of the easiest places to hitchhike in the world. Most major junctions have a shelter and are well lit throughout the night. This is a great way to meet and interact with the locals. A sign can help (put a blank piece of paper inside a plastic sleeve, and with a dry-erase marker you have a reusable hitchhiking sign). When hitchhiking, instead of a thumb, you extend your hand, with 1 or 2 fingers extended, pointing at the road. For short rides, the 1 or 2 fingers should point to the ground. Drivers staying in the area may point downwards while passing, indicating that they wouldn't make a good long-haul ride.

Tourists should note that the British Foreign Office considers it unsafe to hitch-hike in Israel, like most other countries in Europe and the Middle East. This advice applies specifically to tourists and is not a comment on the safety of hitch-hiking for locals and is not specific to Israel.

By car

Road System

Israel has a modern highway network, connecting all destinations throughout the country. Most roads are well maintained. In recent years, increased investment into infrastructure has further improved the condition of roads. Most roads are numbered according to orientation and significance. East-west roads are oddly numbered, and north-south roads are evenly numbered. The most significant national highways are numbered using one digit, while the least significant local roads are numbered using four digits. Exceptions to these rules do exist.

Driving Regulations

Traffic in Israel drives on the right. Traffic signs and regulations are generally standard and resemble those of Western Europe. Traffic lights almost universally control specific directions specified by arrows above them, and provide protected right-of-way into these directions. Unprotected left turns at intersections with traffic lights are rare. However, you may still be required to yield to pedestrians when turning right. Turning right at a red light is strictly forbidden; however, many large intersections provide separate routes for right-turning vehicles, usually only requiring drivers to yield. A flashing green light, usually occurring only on high speed roads, indicates that the yellow light is about to appear.

White road markings are used to separate both traffic traveling in the same direction and in opposite directions. Yellow lines are used to mark the outer edges of the road (do not cross these, except if stopping at a shoulder), and red lines are used in construction zones. Traffic circles are very common; generally, one gives way to cars already in the circle. There are no all-way stop signs. Highway signage is usually in Hebrew, Arabic, and English, although sometimes just in Hebrew and English.

Headlights must be turned on (even during the day) on intercity highways from November to April. Motorcyclists have to have their headlights on in all months of the year. Seatbelts must be worn at all times. Talking on a cell phone without a hands-free system is forbidden and If one must exit the vehicle on the shoulder of a highway, there is a law requiring that one don a neon yellow reflective vest in order to promote visibility.

Parking regulations are indicated by curb markings. Red and white markings mean parking is prohibited (though depending on the locale and its parking regulations, one may park at a red and white overnight). Do not stop near curbs marked red and yellow, because these are usually reserved for certain vehicles, such as buses at bus stops. Blue and white markings permit parking only with a parking permit purchased at a machine. And of course, do not park in handicapped zones.

Default speed limits are 50 km/h in residential zones, 80 km/h on intercity roads without a physical separation median between opposing lanes, and 100 km/h on intercity roads with a physical separation median. By default, all major freeways (identified by the standard blue European motorway sign) have a speed limit of 110 km/h; however, in practice, speed limit signs bearing a lower limit (usually 90 km/h or 100 km/h) limit the speed on these roads. Currently, only one freeway, toll highway #6 (Cross-Israel Highway) actually allows 110 km/h in most sections.

Police presence on the roads is generally very significant, and speed and red light cameras are common.

Licensing Information

All drivers in Israel must carry a driver's license. International driver permits, as well as licenses from certain countries are accepted. Drivers of motor vehicles must be at least 17 years old, whilst insurance is mandatory. One is eligable at 16 to drive a motorcycle or moped. All cars in Israel must undergo an annual safety inspection, and a sticker bearing the year of the last inspection should appear on the front windshield. Recently, there has been a law passed that calls for every car to carry a yellow reflective vest at all times. Theoretically, the police could stop you at any time and ask to see it. If you stop on the edge of the road, and have to get out, you are expected to wear the vest. All rental cars should have one so it is a good idea to check before you leave.

Safety Issues

Compared to Western Europe and North America, the rate of traffic accidents in Israel is high. Many factors contribute to this, but Israeli drivers are known to be aggressive and impatient. Take this into consideration if you decide to drive in Israel, and use caution. Be especially cautious on two-lane intercity roads, especially when passing other vehicles. While most major highways have a physical separation median, many lower-traffic intercity roads do not. Also be particularly cautious when driving in the Negev desert, since most roads in that region have only two lanes carrying fast-moving traffic, and trips tend to last hours in the heat. Take care while traveling on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, as roads tend to be emptier and invite faster, and occasionally more reckless, drivers.

Private and Public Tours
Israel is blessed with a professional cadre of trained and experienced guides and tour operators. You can avoid, albeit at a price, the hassle of doing it yourself. The price can be low if you book one of the regular tours run by such companies as Egged, United or Dan all of whom offer day, multi-day or week-long trips to different parts of the country. There are also large tour operators who put together custom made packages such as IsraelExperts.com, TouringIsrael.Com, Kenes, Desert Eco Tours and Amiel. Finally, at a somewhat higher cost, there are private guides and companies that run private, tailor-made tours, such as Joe Yudin, Jeff Abel, Guy Tours, Genesis2000 and RentAGuide to name but a few.

Car Rental

Most major international car rental companies; Hertz, Avis, Budget and Sixt, as well as many Israeli ones including, Eldan (Israel's largest car rental company) and Traffic.

Sleep

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Israel is host to a huge variety of accommodation options, from camping and hostels through to 5-star luxury hotels. Accomodation in Israel is similar to Western standards in general both in terms of price and what you can expect as service. Hotels in Israel do not currently possess star ratings, so beware that where these are seen, they are awarded by the hotels themselves. A good way of finding good hotels in Israel is by looking through reviews on websites such as Tripadvisor, although the links below act as good starting points.

The Israel Hotel Association (IHA) is the umbrella organization for Israel's hotels and also represents them. About 350 hotels, from Metulla in the North to Eilat in the South, are members of the IHA.

Israel Youth Hostel Association runs a thriving network of youth hostels.

A large number of kibbutzim now include bed and breakfast accommodation amongst their activities.

A number of private residencies (popular in northern communities) offer a room to let (commonly known as "zimmer", from the German word for room).

Israel has a number of 3-4 star hotel chains, including Atlas, Fattal and Rimonim.

Talk

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Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages of Israel. Hebrew is most commonly spoken. However, a sizable part of the population are Israeli-Arabs, who speak Arabic.

It is generally very easy to communicate in English in Israel, since English is compulsory in Israeli schools. Nearly anyone you meet on the street, especially people under 40 years old, will be able to communicate with you in English, although with noticable accent and fluency issues. All street and road signs (and many others) have the English name, as well as the Hebrew and Arabic names. Most tourists get along fine in Israel without speaking a word of Hebrew.

Massive immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s brought a large number of immigrants who speak Russian whilst other influential languages in Israel, reflecting the diverse origins of Israelis include, French, German and Polish. Some of the older members of the population and some of the ultra-orthodox population speak Yiddish, a Jewish Germanic language.

While speaking Hebrew Slang, words of Arabic origin are commonly used. For example: "Walla?" (is that so ?), "Yalla!" (come on, lets move!), "Sababa" (great), "Akhla" (good), "Sahbak" (friend), and many more. Street talk is also much affected by the military language, which is second nature to many the Israelis.

See also: Hebrew phrasebook, Arabic phrasebook

Buy

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General

Living and travelling costs in Israel are almost on a par with Western Europe, North America and Australasia, making it by far the most 'expensive' country in the Middle East region.

Sellers in small food kiosks (known as "Pitzutziot") will often try to overcharge people for soft drinks, cigarettes and candy. Take note that currently (Feb 2007) the price of a soft drink can is between 3 and 7 sheckels and a 0.5CL bottle is generally one sheckel more expensive than a can. Prices in tourist areas in big cities, especially tourist cities like Eilat can be up to 20 sheckels per 0.5CL bottle, however often a small walk will reveal the more local places that will sell you 6 1.5CL bottles for as cheap as 14 sheckels.

Currency and Money Matters

The Israeli unit of currency is the shekel (proper name = the New Israeli shekel; in Hebrew, shekel chadash or shach for short). Each shekel is divided into 100 (new) agorot. The common symbols for the shekel are NIS or ₪. There are 5, 10, 50 agorot, 1, 5, 10 shekels coins, and 20, 50, 100 & 200 shekels notes. $1 US equals about NIS 4.00; 1€ equals about NIS 5.50; £1 equals about NIS 8.2(January 2007).

ATMs are widely available in cities and towns and are connected to European and American banking systems - this is easily the best way to access funds without paying commission on travelers' cheques!
Note that post office branches change travellers cheques (and cash) commission-free. Cash can also be sent to post office branches using Western Union services.

You can get V.A.T. (15.5%, Jan 2007) refunds when leaving the country but if you don't like the queue at the airport note that there is no V.A.T in Eilat.

US Dollars are accepted in some tourist locations, particularly Jerusalem, at a rough exchange rate of 4 to 5 NIS to the dollar.

Business Hours

The business days are Sunday through Friday in Jewish towns, allowing for observance of the Sabbath ("Shabbat") from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. On Friday, many shops will in general close at about 14:30-15:00 to allow ample time return home before sundown. Many shops, especially in malls, will re-open on Saturday evening, at about 19:00 in winter, and 20:30 in summer. Some shops, especially outside towns or in touristic areas, as well as 24-hours convinient stores, open on Saturday as well. In Arab towns, shops are generally open 7 days a week.

Shops in malls and on major shopping streets are generally open from 9:30 to 21:00 daily. Banks and post offices, and some shops stick to the traditional business hours, 8:30-19:00, with a lunch break from about 13:00 to 16:00, so do check.

Markets usually open and close early.

Bargaining

It is pretty common to bargain in most modern areas in Israel. When buying at shopping malls and the bigger places bargaining will be more difficult but is always worth a try to lower the price. Usually it's easier to make a deal if you are buying multiple items than a single item.

It is quite common to bargain in bazaars and the more rural markets, and when buying second hand products. Prices in tourist areas such as the Old City of Jerusalem can routinely be haggled down to as low as 25% of the price.

Souvenirs

Israeli wine, kosher products, t-shirts, diamonds. Almost needless to say, Israel is one of the best countries for purchasing Judaica and Christian pilgrim trinkets.

While it is legal to purchase antiquities from the small number of government-licensed dealers, exporting antiquities from Israel is illegal, unless with a written authetization from the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Eat

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Israeli cuisine is as diverse as the population which makes up this gastronomic country. Food here is generally of a very high standard, and immigrants from around the world mean that almost every genre and type of food is available. Tipping is appreciated in sit-in restaurants. It is standard to give 10% (or 15% for exceptional service). Some establishments include a service charge in the bill; in this case it is clearly marked (normally in Hebrew and in English).

Fast and popular

Falafel was officially adopted as the national food. In recent years, it has lost some of its popularity, but is still quite ubiquitous. These are small fried balls of mashed chickpeas, usually served inside a pita bread with humus-chips-salat (humus, French fries and vegetable salad) and tehina. A selection of more salads is usually available, and you can fill your pita with as much as it can take. This is usually the cheapest lunch available (10-15NIS), and it's vegetarian. You can also order half a serving ("kha-TSEE mah-NAH").

Another popular option is Shawarma, sliced turkey meat, also served inside a pita, or its larger cousin Lafa, with humus-chips-salat. Many other things can fit your pita: for example, Me'orav Yerushalmi (Jerusalemite mix), which contain several types of meat, or Schnitzel, a batter fried chicken breast.
(Humus), a cream of chickpeas, tehina, onion, lemon and olive oil, is also served on a plate, and eaten by hand using small piece of pita.

Another street food gaining popularity is the Iraqi-origin Sabich, a pita bread stuffed with a hard boiled egg, batter dipped deep fried eggplant, houmos, tehina, and salad.

There is also Tropit which is an aluminum bag, containing any kind of flavored juice. It is like the Israeli version of the American Capri Sun.

Dietary restrictions

Kosher food

The Hebrew word Kasher (כָּשֵר), pronounced by East-European Jews as Kosher, means legal, or legitimate. When associated with food, it means anything that is allowed by the Jewish religious laws concerning food. These laws are quite complex, but the short version is that they totally forbid certain products (such as pork and shellfish), and allow others only under restrictions - most importantly, that meat and dairy products are not to be cooked together or eaten at the same meal, which bans all sorts of Western staples like cheeseburgers and pizzas with meat toppings. In addition, lighting a fire on Shabbat is forbidden, so only cold or long-simmered food is allowed. Having said this, due to the secular nature of much of Israel, most foods can be found, and most restaurants aren't kosher.

Most of the hotels in Israel are Kosher, so breakfast is dairy, and on lunch and dinner you'll not be able to get milk for your coffee (although soy milk is a common substitute). Most big supermarkets sell only Kosher products, but more and more non-Kosher supermarkets and convenient stores have appeared in recent years, due in part to the huge numbers of secular Jews who have come to Israel from former USSR. With restaurants things are more complicated: in Tel-Aviv, it is sometimes difficult to find anything but Falafel & Shawarma stands that hold Kosher certificate. In Jerusalem, on the other hand, Kosher cafes and restaurants are much more common. Bear in mind that restaurants that remain open on Shabbat cannot receive Kosher certification, so some restaurants that do not have kosher certifications are nevertheless kosher as far as the food is concerned, and have kosher kitchens. So if you care, you shouldn't assume anything and always ask. Where restaurants are kosher, they will either be milky or meat. Milky restaurants, by their very nature, are perfect for any vegetarian tourists.

One attraction for practicing Jewish (and other) tourists are the kosher McDonald’s restaurants. Note that most of the branches are not kosher, so ask before ordering. Most Burger-King restaurants in Israel are kosher, though - and so are branches of Burger Ranch, Israeli burger chain. In addition, Pizza Hut branches in Israel are kosher, and thus will not serve pizzas with meat toppings, while Domino's chains are not kosher, and serve a toppings selection similar to their Western branches.

Passover

Another series of strict restrictions come into force during the seven days of Passover, when leavened bread (hametz) — taken to include any grain product that may have come into contact with moisture and thus started fermenting — is banned. Some Jews even widen the ban to cover rice and legumes. The main substitute is matza, the famously dry and tasteless flatbread, and you can even get a matzoburger from McDonalds during Passover.

Vegetarians

Vegetarians/Vegans should have a relatively easy time eating in Israel. Due to "kashrut" (the rules of keeping kosher) there are many restaurants that serve only dairy food, which makes them popular with vegetarians. In some parts of the country you can also find Vegan restaurants run by the Black Hebrews. Amirim is a vegetarian/vegan village in the Galilee with several resaurants.

Ethnic food

Jews immigrating to Israel from different parts of the world brought with them many different cooking traditions. Most of these are now served in a handful of specialty restaurants, so check the individual chapters and ask around. Among the selection: Ashkenazi (eastern European Jewish), Bulgrian, Turkish, North African, Iraqi, Iranian, and others.

One dish however is known over almost the entire Jewish Diaspora. Known in Europe as Cholent and in the middle east and north Africa as Chamin. It is a sort of stew that has simmered for many hours on low fire. It is traditionally a Shabbat dish, originating from the prohibition on lighting fire and cooking on Shabbat. The exact ingredients vary, but it usually contains meat (usually beef or chicken), legumes (chickpea or bean) and\or rice, eggs, and vegetables such as potatoes, onions, carrots. Chamin is served in some restaurants on Saturday, and can be bought in delicatessen on Friday.

Israelis appreciate good coffee and a café culture thrives in the country. Although the Starbucks enterprise has not been so successful there are several highly popular local coffee chains. Many Israelis like to just spend time sipping their "hafuch" (Cafe latté) and chatting with friends. You can also have light meal with sandwiches and salads. Aroma is Israel's largest coffee chain. You can order sandwiches there in three sizes and choose from three types of bread. Arcaffé is slightly more expensive, but their coffee (some say) is even better. Other chains include Elite Coffee, cafe cafe, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and the kosher (dairy) Cafe Hillel. Many Israelis still like to drink "botz" (mud coffee) which is an extra finely ground coffee you just stir into the glass and let settle. But you probably wouldn't order "botz" in a chic espresso bar, and those who are used to Starbucks-like coffee most likely won't find it palatable.

Krembo (A hybrid of the words KREM and BO, "Cream" and "In it", respectively) is a favorite Israeli chocolate snack. It is composed of a round cookie, on which cream (Most often Vanilla-flavored, but there is also a mocha variety) lies, covered with a chocolate shell. Krembos come wrapped in aluminum foil, and are very delicate. They are rarely found in the summer due to the weather. Krembos have been eaten in Israel for two generations now, and there is a well known argument as to the right way for eating it. 1. Holding the cookie while eating the chocolate and the cream, and then eating the cookie. 2. Holding the chocolate while eating the cookie and then eating the choclate and the cream. 3. Eating all of it at once.

the embassy bar (next to the us embassy ) serves bacon butties as a sign of ultimate disrespect, and will even put cheese on it and serve beer on shabbat.
a good place if your homesick.

Drink

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Alcoholic

Beer

There are three main brands of Israeli beer:

Goldstar — a Munich-style dark draught. Can be found in bottles and cans of 0.5 and 0.3 liters (1 pint and half a pint, respectively), or KHE-tsi and sh-LISH (Hebrew for "half" and "third". Referring to the amount based on litres, as Israel uses SI). It is also available from tap (meh-HA kha-VIT).

Maccabee — a pilsener, lighter and smoother than Goldstar. Only comes in bottles and cans.

Nesher — comes in bottles, mostly malt.

Palestinian beers are also available:

Taybeh — from Taybeh village, close to Ramallah, a beer popular with many Palestinians, Israelis and tourists alike. It is mainly found in Israeli Arab communities and the Old City of Jerusalem.

In addition, a wide variety of international brands are available throughout Israel, some of which are locally brewed. Among the most popular are Heineken, Carlsberg, and Tuborg.

Liqueurs

A common liqueur in Israel is Arak. It is clear, and anise-flavored, quite similar to Pastis or the Colombian Aguardiente. It is usually served in a glass of about 0.3 liters, mixed with equal amount of water and ice. Some like to drink it mixed with grapefruit juice. Arak is usually kept in the freezer. A common brand is called Aluf Ha-Arak and Elit Ha-Arak (both of the same distillery) with the former of higher alcohol per volume and the latter of stronger anise flavor. They are of slightly different volume although the price is accordingly different.

Soft Drinks

Most of the regular western sodas are available, and many have local variants that aren't very different in taste. Pepsico and Coca-Cola company fight for the soft drinks market aggressively. Israeli Coca-Cola is thought by Cola connoisseurs to be tastier and more authentic than elsewhere. This is due to the fact that Israeli Coca-Cola is made with sugar, and not with high-fructose corn syrup. Tempo (not to be confused with Tempo Industries, Ltd. which is the brewer of most Israeli beer and bottler of most soft drinks including the local Pepsi) and Super Drink are dirt-cheap local variants. The generic name for Coke or Pepsi is "Cola", and it usually implies Coke - if the place serves Pepsi, they will usually ask if it's fine.

There are several more authentic soft drinks:

Tropit — cheap fruit flavor drink which is usually grape. Comes in a tough aluminum-like bag with a straw. The bag is poked using the straw to make a hole through which you drink. A very portable drink (until holed), which has become very popular in summer camps. In the newer varieties there is a marked area where the straw should be inserted. Even then it can sometimes take practice to insert the straw without the juice squirting out.

Cocoa milk — there are a number of brands of sterilized cocoa milk (SHO-ko) which comes in a plastic bag. The tip of the bag is bitten or clipped off, and the milk is sucked out. As with Tropit, it is very portable (although due to its milky nature, not as much) until opened, after which it is impractical to reseal. It should be noted that cocoa milk in a bag is usually served cold, and it would be a very bad idea to warm it.

Learn

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Israel has many universities which tend to be well regarded by the international community. Special programs for students from abroad are offered by the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Lowy School for Overseas Students at Tel-Aviv University and the Ginsburg-Ingerman Center for International Student Programs at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva.

The International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem in West Jerusalem also offers a variety of educational options relating to the Holocaust or you could also use your time in Israel to study Hebrew. Hebrew school is called Ulpan (pl. Ulpanim).

There are even ways to learn Hebrew online from outwith Israel - try Hebrew Online.
A good starting point for finding more information on study and volunteering programs, can be found on the website of theWorld Zionist Organization.

Work

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One of the iconic activities in Israel is working ("volunteering") on a collective farm: a kibbutz or a moshav.

Another popular option is to volunteer for work on an archaeological excavation, mostly conducted in summer at a variety of locations. Most Israeli excavations offer college/degree credit for international students.

Although it's not officially legal to work on a tourist visa, in reality Israel depends upon immigant workers. Stay at any hotel in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem and the staff will offer to put you in contact with opportunities to wash dishes or jobs in construction. Pay is only around $5 an hour which is standard for non-skilled work in Israel.

Stay safe

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In general, travel to Israel is safe, and most other crime rates are well below those found in most other Western Countries. Having said this, buses and bus-stops have unfortunately been the targets of suicide bombers since the early 1990s. This type of terrorist attack has all but ceased since 2005. Statistically, the chances of being involved in a traffic accident are much higher than the chances to be involved in a terrorist attack. However, the political condition is far from stable, and it is a good idea to stay informed of developments before and during your stay. Caution should be used particularly in disputed areas. If you see anyone acting suspiciously, or find an untended parcel, notify the driver, a soldier or police officer immediately. Israeli national policy, however, is business as usual. The day after the November 2004 bomb in the Karmel market in Tel Aviv the market was full again. Life goes on.

It is not unusual to see soldiers carrying firearms (military rifles and handguns) in public. In terms of typical crime, Israel is a very safe country. You can walk around the cities and towns at night without fear, as mugging and drunken violence is all but unknown. Single women should still take care late at night but the risks here are far lower than practically anywhere in Europe. Unlike in surrounding Middle Eastern countires, single women walking the streets or revealingly dressed, are not very likely to be harassed or hissed at.

Israel's relations with its neighbors should always be something that a traveler should be familiar with, as evidenced by the Israeli-Lebanese conflict of 2006. Despite the current cease fire there remains a low danger that the conflict will again erupt.

In case of Emergency

Police (mish-ta-RA) — 100

First Aid ("Magen David Adom"-MADA) — 101

Fire department (me-kha-BEY ESH) — 102

Stay healthy

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There are no special medical issues in Israel, and no immunizations are necessary for travel here. Pharmacies and hospitals are available in all major cities and emergency and health care is to a very high Western standard. In Israeli pharmacies, the "over-the-counter" stuff is, in fact, over the counter. Ask the pharmacist if you need anything - chances are, they speak at least some English. Travel health insurance is highly recommended, however, as the Israeli health system frequently operates under the American-style "user-pays" approach to treatment.

Tap water is potable and perfectly safe for drinking all throughout Israel, big cities and rural parts alike. It is heavily chlorinated, however and doesn't taste that good, so as an alternative, bottled water is available everywhere and is popular among locals as well as tourists. It is also important to note that in some areas (especially Jerusalem and further south) visitors may experience mild stomach problems due to particulate in the water.

Most street food is perfectly safe and clean, including fried dishes, fish and different salads. It still is wise to use common sense and avoid anything suspicious and it is also be a good idea to eat wherever local Israelis eat, as these are usually the cleanest and most reliable places.

Due to the hot climate in sunny Israel, remember to use sunscreen throughout your stay and drink a lot of water. It is also recommended to wear a good hat and a UV-screen pair of dark sunglasses.

Respect

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Israel is generally a very relaxed country with a western culture, however there are a few situations which are slightly different. Visitors to some synagogues, most churches, and all mosques should be aware that entry will normally not be permitted to those with exposed legs (i.e. wearing shorts or short skirts) or women exposed upper arms. Women may be denied entry or ordered to wear robe before entering mosques or synagogues. Carry a wrap or bring a change of clothes. Mosques will also require you to take off your shoes before entry. Men should cover their heads in a synagogue.

The Israeli/Palestinian situation is an emotional issue for many. Expressing any opinion about it might get you some nasty looks, even if you are very sure of the opinions of the people you are with. On the other hand, most people, both Israeli and Palestinian, would be happy to answer your questions about it.

Electricity

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The voltage in Israel is 230 V, and the frequency is 50 Hz. The electric outlets used are type H and Type C. Type H is a uniquely Israeli three-pronged standard, but most modern type H outlets can also accept type C European two-pronged plugs. In fact, most electronic devices in Israel use type C plugs. For more information on plug types, please see the article Electrical systems. Electricity is supplied by the Israel Electric Corporation. The special phone number 103 can be used to reach the customer service center.

Contact

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By phone

The country code for Israel and the disputed territories is +972.

Area codes

Drop the leading 0 (zero) when calling from abroad:

Jerusalem area — 02

Tel Aviv-Yafo and the center — 03

North — 04

South — 08

Sharon — 09

Countrywide codes

HOT — 077

012 — 072

Cellular carriers

Cellcom — 052

Pelephone — 050

Orange — 054

Mirs — 057

PalTel (Palestinian telcom) — 059

Access codes

If you want to phone home from Israel, you need to choose which company you want to use for your international call first. You cannot use an access code for international numbers like in the rest of Europe, where '00' is the almost universal common access code. The companies and their access codes are the following:

Kavei Zahav ("Golden Lines") — 012

Barak — 013

Bezeq International — 014

Smile — 015

Netvision — 017

XFONE — 018

Note that the 015, 017 and 018 prefixes are for VOIP operators. Thus, they have the cheapest rate but a somehow lower line quality.

Cellphone rentals

You can rent a cellphone for use in Israel either before your trip or once you arrive from several vendors such as IsraelExperts.com - these can be delivered to your home before you leave or you can collect them at the airport upon arrival or have them delivered to your hotel upon arrival. Phone stores that rent out phones can be found in the public arrival hall of Ben Gurion Airport (ie, the non-restricted zone); turn right after leaving the restricted area after picking up your baggage. Here, you will find 'Pelephone' and 'Orange' phone stores, both of which rent out phones. If you have a cellphone without a SIM-lock, you can buy a SIM-card which is much cheaper than either renting or buying a phone. An 'Orange' pre-paid SIM-card costs about 100 shekels ($20).

Some GSM North American and European cell phones will function in "roam" mode in Israel using your regular phone number. Check with your cellular provider for details. Be aware, however, of the costs - calling to the US or Europe, or inside Israel, might cost more than $1 a minute!

By net

Israel is a very technologically advanced society, and internet cafés are widely available in most cities and towns. The regular price for paid internet cafés is about NIS 15 per hour but you can get it for about 10 NIS in some of the more local places. Free wi-fi access is common in cafés (check individual articles). All branches of 'Aroma Espresso Bar', 'Arcaffe', 'McDonalds' and 'Yellow' convenience stores have free wi-fi access, though in some you will have to approach the staff for a password.

Recently, the "Jerusalem WiFi" project started. This government started project aims to cover the entire Jerusalem area with WiFi although at the moment the only areas covered are in the city center. A similar project has started in Tel Aviv.




The State of Israel (Hebrew: , Medinat Yisra'el; دَوْلَةْ إِسْرَائِيل, Dawlat Isrā'īl) is a country in the Western Asian Levant, on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon on the north, Syria and Jordan on the east, and Egypt on the south-west.

The State of Israel was created in 1948. With a diverse population currently exceeding seven million citizens of primarily Jewish background and religion, it is the world's only Jewish state. Jerusalem is the capital city and seat of government. Israel is the only country in the Middle East considered to be a liberal democracy, having a broad array of political rights and civil liberties present. In addition, Israel is considered the most advanced in the region in terms of freedom of the press, business regulations, economic competition, economic freedom, and overall human development.

The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to be a source of tension both inside and outside Israel. In particular, this has caused tension with Israel's Arab neighbors, some of whom Israel has also come into conflict with. Groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been critical of Israeli policies, while other organizations such as Freedom House and the United States government are generally supportive of Israel.

Etymology

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The name "Israel" is rooted in the Hebrew Bible, Genesis 32:28, where Jacob is renamed Israel (śara struggle with + 'el God) after successfully wrestling with an angel of God. The biblical nation fathered by Jacob was then called "The Children of Israel" or the "Israelites".

The first historical record of the word "Israel" comes from an Egyptian stele documenting military campaigns in Canaan. This stele refers to Israel as a people, rather than as a settled nation (the determinative for "country" being absent), and is dated to approximately 1209/1208 BCE.

The modern country was named State of Israel, and its citizens are referred to as Israelis in English. Other rejected name proposals included Eretz Israel, Zion and Judea. The use of the term Israeli to refer to a citizen of Israel was decided by the Government of Israel in the weeks immediately after independence and announced by Foreign Minister Moshe Shertok.

History

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Historical roots
Jewish tradition holds that the Land of Israel has been a Jewish Holy Land and Promised land for four thousand years, since the time of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). The land of Israel holds a special place in Jewish religious obligations, encompassing Judaism's most important sites (such as the remains of the First and Second Temples of the Jewish People). Connected with these two versions of the temple are religiously significant rites which stand as the origin for many aspects of modern Judaism. Starting around the eleventh century BCE, the first of a series of Jewish kingdoms and states established intermittent rule over the region that lasted more than a millennium.

Under Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and (briefly) Sassanian rule, Jewish presence in the region dwindled because of mass expulsions. In particular, the failure of the Bar Kokhba's revolt against the Roman Empire in 132 CE resulted in a large-scale expulsion of Jews. It was during this time that the Romans gave the name Syria Palaestina to the geographic area, in an attempt to erase Jewish ties to the land. Nevertheless, the Jewish presence in Palestine remained constant. The main Jewish population shifted from the Judea region to the Galilee. The Mishnah and Jerusalem Talmud, two of Judaism's most important religious texts, were composed in the region during this period. The land was conquered from the Byzantine Empire in 638 CE during the initial Muslim conquests. The Hebrew niqqud was invented in Tiberias during this time. The area was ruled by the Omayyads, then by the Abbasids, Crusaders, the Kharezmians and Mongols, before becoming part of the empire of the Mamluks (1260–1516) and the Ottoman Empire in 1517.

Zionism and immigration

Jews living in the Diaspora had sought to emigrate to Israel throughout the centuries. In 1141 Yehuda Halevi issued a call to the Jews to emigrate to Eretz Israel and eventually died in Jerusalem but it was not until over a hundred years later, in 1267, that Nahmanides settled in Jerusalem. Since this time, a continual Jewish presence has been maintained in Jerusalem, whilst Yosef Karo immigrated to the large Jewish community in Safed in 1535. Waves of immigration also occurred, for example in the years 1209–1211, the "aliyah of the Rabbis of France and England" to Acre became famous as in 1258 and 1266. In 1260, Yechiel of Paris emigrated to Acre along with his son and a large group of followers. Small waves of immigration occurred during the 18th century out of religious motives, famously Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and 300 of his followers, Judah he-Hasid and over 1000 disciples, and over five hundred disciples (and their families) of the Vilna Gaon known as Perushim. Waves of rabbinical students immigrated in 1808–1809, settling in Tiberias, Safed and then in Jerusalem.
In 1860, the old Jewish community in Jerusalem started building neighborhoods outside the walls of the Old City (the first one being Mishkenot Sha’ananim). In 1878, the first modern agricultural settlement was founded in the form of Petah Tikva.

The first big wave of modern immigration to Israel, or Aliyah (עלייה) started in 1881 as Jews fled growing persecution, or followed the Socialist Zionist ideas of Moses Hess and others of "redemption of the soil." Jews bought land from individual, often absent, Arab landholders, and it was after Jews established agricultural settlements that tensions erupted between the Jews and Arabs.

Theodor Herzl (1860–1904), an Austro-Hungarian Jew, founded the Zionist movement. In 1896, he published Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State), in which he called for the establishment of a national Jewish state. The following year he helped convene the first World Zionist Congress. The establishment of Zionism led to the Second Aliyah (1904–1914) with the influx of around forty thousand Jews. In 1917, the British Foreign Secretary Arthur J. Balfour issued the Balfour Declaration that "view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people." In 1920, Palestine became a League of Nations mandate administered by Britain. Jewish immigration resumed in third (1919–1923) and fourth (1924–1929) waves after World War I. In a massacre in 1929, 133 Jews, including 67 in Hebron were killed and 116 Arabs were killed in the riots.

The rise of Nazism in 1933 led to a fifth wave of Aliyah. The subsequent Holocaust in Europe led to Aliyah#Aliyah Bet: Illegal immigration (1933-1948)|additional immigration from other parts of Europe. The Jewish population in the region increased from 83,790 (11%) in 1922 to 608,230 (33%) in 1945. In 1939, the British introduced a White Paper of 1939, which limited Jewish immigration over the course of the war to 75,000 and restricted purchase of land by Jews, perhaps in response to the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in Palestine. The White Paper was seen as a betrayal by the Jewish community and Zionists, who perceived it as being in conflict with the Balfour Declaration. The Arabs were not entirely satisfied either, as they wanted Jewish immigration halted completely. However, the White Paper guided British policy until the end of the term of their Mandate. As a result, many Jews fleeing to Palestine to avoid Nazi persecution and the Holocaust were intercepted and returned to Europe. Two specific examples of this policy involved the ships Struma and Exodus (carrying Holocaust survivors in 1947). Attempts by Jews to circumvent the blockade and flee Europe became known as Aliyah Bet.
Jewish underground groups
Many Arabs, opposed to the Balfour Declaration, the mandate, and the Jewish National Home, instigated riots and pogroms against Jews in Jerusalem, Hebron, Jaffa, and Haifa. As a result of the 1921 Arab attacks, the Haganah was formed to protect Jewish settlements. The Haganah was mostly defensive in nature, which among other things caused several members to split off and form the militant group Irgun (initially known as Hagana Bet) in 1931. The Irgun adhered to a much more active approach, which included attacks and initiation of armed actions against the British, such as attacking British military headquarters, the King David Hotel, which killed 91 people. Haganah, on the other hand, often preferred restraint. A further split occurred when Avraham Stern left the Irgun to form Lehi, (also known as the Stern Gang) which was much more extreme in its methods. Unlike the Irgun, they refused any co-operation with the British during World War II and even attempted to work with the Germans to secure European Jewry's escape to Palestine.



These groups had an enormous impact on events and procedures in the period preceding the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, such as Aliya Beth (the clandestine immigration from Europe), the forming of the Israel Defense Forces, and the withdrawal of the British, as well as to a great degree forming the foundation of the political parties which exist in Israel today. After the war, then Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion set about establishing order by dismantling the Palmach (the Haganah's elite strike force) and underground organizations like the Irgun and Lehi.

Declaration of Independence

In 1947, following increasing levels of Arab-Jewish violence and general war-weariness, the British government decided to withdraw from the Palestine Mandate. Jewish nationalism and messianic tradition led to Zionism, a movement to re-create a Jewish nation in the Land of Israel. Jewish immigration grew steadily after the late nineteenth century and took on added meaning, and gained added external support, in the wake of the Holocaust. The UN General Assembly approved the 1947 UN Partition Plan dividing the territory into two states, with the Jewish area consisting of roughly 55% of the land, and the Arab area consisting of roughly 45%. Jerusalem was to be designated as an international region administered by the UN to avoid conflict over its status.
Immediately following the adoption of the Partition Plan by the UN General Assembly on November 29, 1947, David Ben-Gurion tentatively accepted the partition, while the Arab League rejected it. The Arab Higher Committee immediately ordered a violent three-day strike on Jewish civilians, attacking buildings, shops, and neighborhoods, and prompting insurgency organized by underground Jewish militias like the Lehi and Irgun. These attacks soon turned into widespread fighting between Arabs and Jews, this civil war being the first "phase" of the 1948 War of Independence.

The State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14 1948, one day before the expiry of the Palestine Mandate. Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations on May 11, 1949.

1948 War of Independence and migration
Following the State of Israel's establishment, the armies of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon declared war on Israel and began the second phase of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. From the north, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq were all but stopped relatively close to the borders. Jordanian forces, invading from the east, captured East Jerusalem and laid siege on the city's west. However, forces of the Haganah successfully stopped most invading forces, and Irgun forces halted Egyptian encroachment from the south. At the beginning of June, the UN declared a one-month ceasefire during which the Israel Defense Forces were officially formed. After numerous months of war, a ceasefire was declared in 1949 and temporary borders, known as the Green Line, were instituted. Israel had gained an additional 23.5% of the Mandate territory west of the Jordan River.
Jordan, for its part, held the large mountainous areas of Judea and Samaria, which became known as the West Bank. Egypt took control of a small strip of land along the coast, which became known as the Gaza Strip.

Large numbers of the Arab population fled or were expelled from the newly-created Jewish State during the Palestinian exodus, which is referred to by many Palestinian groups and individuals as the Nakba (Arabic: النكبة ), meaning "disaster" or "cataclysm". Estimates of the final Palestinian refugee count range from 400,000 to 900,000 with the official United Nations count at 711,000. The unresolved conflict between Israel and the Arab world that persists to this day has resulted in a lasting displacement of Palestinian refugees.

In addition, the entire Jewish population of the West Bank and Gaza Strip also fled to Israel. Within a year of the 1948 war, immigration of Jewish refugees from Arab lands doubled Israel's population. Over the following years approximately 850,000 Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews fled or were expelled from surrounding Arab countries. Of these, about 600,000 settled in Israel; the remainder went to Europe and the Americas (see Jewish exodus from Arab lands).

1950s and 1960s

Between 1954 and 1955, under Moshe Sharett as prime minister, the Lavon Affair—a failed attempt to bomb targets in Egypt—caused political disgrace in Israel. Compounding this, in 1956, Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal, much to the chagrin of the United Kingdom and France. Following this and a series of Fedayeen attacks, Israel created a secret military alliance with those two European powers and declared war on Egypt. After the Suez Crisis, the three collaborators faced international condemnation, and Israel was forced to withdraw its forces from the Sinai Peninsula.

In 1955, Ben-Gurion once again became prime minister and served as such until his final resignation in 1963. After Ben-Gurion's resignation, Levi Eshkol was appointed to the post.

In 1961, the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, who had been largely responsible for the Final Solution, the planned extermination of the Jews of Europe, was captured in Buenos Aires, Argentina, by Mossad agents and brought to trial in Israel. Eichmann became the only person ever sentenced to death by the Israeli courts.

On the political field, tensions once again arose between Israel and her neighbors in May 1967. Syria, Jordan, and Egypt had been hinting at war and Egypt expelled UN Peacekeeping Forces from the Gaza Strip. When Egypt violated prior treaties and closed the strategic Straits of Tiran to Israeli vessels, and began massing large amounts of tanks and aircraft on Israel's borders, Israel deemed it a casus belli for pre-emptively attacking Egypt on June 5. In the ensuing Six-Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Israel defeated the armies of three large Arab states and won a decisive victory over their air forces. Territorially, Israel conquered the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and Golan Heights. The Green Line of 1949 became the administrative boundary between Israel and the Occupied Territories. The Sinai was later returned to Egypt following the signing of a peace treaty.

During the war, Israeli aircraft attacked the USS Liberty, killing thirty-four American servicemen. American and Israeli investigations into the incident concluded that the attack was a tragic accident involving confusion over the identity of the Liberty. In 1969, Golda Meir, Israel's first (and, to date, only) female prime minister was elected.
1970s
Between 1968 and 1972, a period known as the War of Attrition, numerous scuffles erupted along the border between Israel and Syria and Egypt. Furthermore, in the early 1970s, Palestinian groups embarked on an unprecedented wave of attacks against Israel and Jewish targets in other countries. The climax of this wave occurred at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, when, in the Munich massacre, Palestinian militants held hostage and killed members of the Israeli delegation. Israel responded with Operation Wrath of God, in which agents of Mossad assassinated most of those who were involved in the massacre.

Finally, on October 6 1973, the day in 1973 of the Jewish Yom Kippur fast, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched a surprise attack against Israel. Despite early successes against an unprepared Israeli army, Egypt and Syria were eventually repelled by the Israeli forces. A number of years of relative calm ensued, which fostered the environment in which Israel and Egypt could make peace.

In 1974, Yitzhak Rabin, with Meir's resignation, became Israel's fifth prime minister. A major turning point in Israeli political history came in the 1977 Knesset elections, when the Alignment, which together with its predecessor Mapai had been the ruling party since 1948, was beaten by Menachem Begin's Likud, an event that became known in Israel as the "revolution".

Then, in November of that year, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, making a historic visit to the Jewish State, spoke before the Knesset: the first recognition of Israel by its Arab neighbors. Military reserves officers formed the Peace Now movement to encourage this effort. Following the visit, the two nations conducted negotiations which led to the signing of the Camp David Accords. In March 1979, Begin and Sadat signed the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in Washington, DC. As laid out in the treaty, Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula and evacuated the settlements established there during the 1970s. It was also agreed to lend autonomy to Palestinians across the Green Line.
1980s

On July 7 1981, the Israeli Air Force bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osiraq in an attempt to foil Iraqi efforts at producing an atomic bomb. This operation was known as Operation Opera.

In 1982, Israel launched an attack against Lebanon, which had been embroiled in the Lebanese Civil War since 1975. The reason Israel gave for the attack was to defend Israel's northernmost settlements from terrorist attacks, which had been occurring frequently. After establishing a forty-kilometer barrier zone, the IDF continued northward and even captured the capital, Beirut. Israeli forces expelled Palestine Liberation Organization forces from the country, forcing the organization to relocate to Tunis. Unable to deal with the stress of the ongoing war, Prime Minister Begin resigned from his post in 1983 and was replaced by Yitzhak Shamir. Though Israel withdrew from most of Lebanon in 1986, a buffer zone was maintained until May 2000 when Israel unilaterally withdrew from Lebanon.

Through the rest of the 1980s, the government shifted from the right, led by Yitzhak Shamir, to the left under Shimon Peres. Peres was prime minister from 1984, but handed the position over to Shamir in 1986 under an agreement reached following the creation of the unity coalition in the aftermath of the 1984 elections. The First Intifadah then broke out in 1987 and was accompanied by waves of violence in the Occupied Territories. Following the outbreak, Shamir once again was elected prime minister, in the 1988 elections.
1990s
During the Gulf War, Iraq hit Israel with thirty-nine Scud missiles, although Israel was not a member of the anti-Iraq coalition and was not involved in the fighting. The missiles did not kill Israeli citizens directly, but there were some deaths from incorrect use of the gas masks provided against chemical attack, one Israeli died from a heart attack following a hit, and one Israeli died from a Patriot missile hit. During the war, Israeli supreme court also ruled that gas masks must be provided for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The PLO, however, supported Saddam Hussein. Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza marched and famously stood on their rooftops while Scud missiles were falling and cheered Hussein, calling for him to bomb Israel with chemical weapons. Ironically, Palestinians would use the gas masks against Israeli use of tear gas in the coming years.

The early 1990s were marked by the beginning of a massive immigration of Soviet Jews, who, according to the Law of Return, were entitled to become Israeli citizens upon arrival. About 380,000 arrived in 1990–1991 alone. Although initially favouring the right, the new immigrants became the target of an aggressive election campaign by Labor, which blamed their employment and housing problems on the ruling Likud. As a result, in the 1992 elections the immigrants voted en masse for Labor, allowing the left to emerge victorious.

Following the elections, Yitzhak Rabin became prime minister, forming a coalition with Meretz and Shas. During the election campaign his Labor party promised Israelis a significant improvement in personal security and achievement of a comprehensive peace with the Arabs "within six to nine months" after the elections. By the end of 1993 the government abandoned the framework of Madrid and signed the Oslo Accords with the PLO. In 1994, Jordan became the second of Israel's neighbours to make peace with it.
The initial wide public support for the Oslo Accords began to wane as Israel was struck by an unprecedented wave of attacks supported by the militant Hamas group, which opposed the accords. Public support slipped even further. On November 4, 1995, a Jewish nationalist militant named Yigal Amir assassinated Rabin.

Public dismay with the assassination created a backlash against Oslo opponents and significantly boosted the chances of Shimon Peres, Rabin's successor and Oslo architect, to win the upcoming 1996 elections. However, a new wave of suicide bombings combined with Arafat's statements extolling the Muslim nationalist militant Yahya Ayyash, made the public mood swing once again and in May 1996 Peres narrowly lost to his challenger from Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Although seen as a hard-liner opposing the Oslo Accords, Netanyahu withdrew from Hebron and signed the Wye River Memorandum giving wider control to the Palestinian National Authority. During Netanyahu's tenure, Israel experienced a lull in attacks against Israel's civilian population by Palestinian groups, but his government fell in 1999. Ehud Barak of One Israel (an alliance of Labor, Meimad and Gesher) beat Netanyahu by a wide margin in the 1999 elections and succeeded him as prime minister.
2000s
Barak initiated unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. This process was intended to frustrate Hezbollah attacks on Israel by forcing them to cross Israel's border. Barak and Yassir Arafat once again conducted negotiations with President Clinton at the July 2000 Camp David summit. However, the talks failed. Barak offered to form a Palestinian State initially on 73% of the West Bank and 100% of the Gaza Strip. In ten to twenty-five years, the West Bank area would expand to 90% (94% excluding greater Jerusalem). Arafat rejected this deal.

The thrust of the Gaza departure and of the security barrier, Gilady said in a rare interview two months ago, was the opposite of that which impelled the 1993 Oslo Accords. The Oslo architects believed a peace treaty would bring security. That notion exploded with the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000. Under the Sharon strategy, Gilady told the Jerusalem Post, security would lead to peace, not the other way around.

After the collapse of the talks, Palestinians began a second uprising, known as the Al-Aqsa Intifadah, just after the leader of the opposition Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The failure of the talks and the outbreak of a new war caused many Israelis on both the right and the left to turn away from Barak, and also discredited the peace movement.
Ariel Sharon became the new prime minister in March 2001 in a special election for Prime Minister, and was subsequently re-elected, along with his Likud party in the 2003 elections. Sharon initiated a plan to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip. This disengagement was executed between August and September 2005.

Israel also is building the Israeli West Bank Barrier with the stated purpose of defending the country from attacks by armed Palestinian groups. Because the barrier, which is planned to measure 681 kilometers, meanders past the Green Line, effectively annexes 9.5% of the West Bank, and creates hardships for Palestinians living near it, it has been met with criticism from the international community and numerous protest demonstrations by the Israeli far-left. It is claimed, however, to have significantly reduced the number of terrorist attacks against Israel.

After Ariel Sharon suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke, the powers of the office were passed to Ehud Olmert, who was designated the "Acting" Prime Minister. On April 14, 2006, Olmert was elected Prime Minister after his party, Kadima, Hebrew for "Forward", won the most seats in the 2006 elections.

On June 28, 2006, Hamas militants dug a tunnel under the border from the Gaza Strip and attacked an IDF post, capturing an Israeli soldier and killing two others. In response, Israel began Operation Summer Rains, which consisted of heavy bombardment of Hamas targets as well as bridges, roads, and the only power station in Gaza. Israel has also deployed troops into the territory. Israel’s critics have accused it of disproportionate use of force and collective punishment of innocent civilians and not giving diplomacy a chance. Israel argues that they have no other option to get their soldier back and put an end to the rocket attacks into Israel, although the soldiers were not recovered.

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict refers to the military conflict in Lebanon and northern Israel, primarily between Hezbollah and Israel, which started on 12 July 2006. The conflict began with a cross-border Hezbollah raid and shelling, which resulted in the capture of two and killing of eight Israeli soldiers. Israel held the Lebanese government responsible for the attack, as it was carried out from Lebanese territory, and initiated an air and naval blockade, airstrikes across much of the country, and ground incursions into southern Lebanon. Hezbollah continuously launched rocket attacks into northern Israel and engaged the Israeli Army on the ground with hit-and-run guerrilla attacks. A ceasefire came into effect at 05:00 UTC, 14 August 2006, although violations of the ceasefire have occurred from both sides. The conflict killed over one thousand Lebanese civilians, 440 Hezbollah militants, and 119 Israeli soldiers, as well as forty-four Israeli civilians, and caused massive damage to the civilian infrastructure and cities of Lebanon and damaged thousands of buildings across northern Israel, many of which were completely destroyed. On September 14, 2006, Amnesty International released a report on the 2006 conflict with Hezbollah accusing both parties of war crimes.
Human Rights Watch similarly accused Israel of war crimes in a report issued on August 5, 2006.

Geography and climate

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Israel is bordered by Lebanon in the north, Syria and Jordan in the east, and Egypt in the south-west. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean in the west and the Gulf of Eilat (also known as the Gulf of Aqaba) in the south.

During the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel captured the West Bank from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Golan Heights from Syria, Gaza Strip (which was under Egyptian occupation), and Sinai from Egypt. It withdrew all troops and settlers from Sinai by 1982 and from the Gaza Strip by September 12 2005. The future status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip remains to be determined. East Jerusalem has been under Israeli civil law, jurisdiction and administration since 1967 and the Golan Heights since 1981, though they have not been formally annexed.

The sovereign territory of Israel, excluding all territories captured by Israel in 1967, is 20,770 km² (8,019 mi²) in area (1% is water). The total area under Israeli law, including East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, is 22,145 km² or 8,550 mi²; with a little less than one per cent being water. The total area under Israeli control, including the military-controlled and Palestinian-governed territory of the West Bank, is 28,023 km² (10,820 mi²) (~1% water).

The climate of the coastal areas can be very different from that of the mountainous areas, particularly during the winter months. The northern mountains can get cold, wet and often snowy and even Jerusalem experiences snow every couple of years. The coastal regions, where Tel Aviv and Haifa are located, have a typical Mediterranean climate with cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.

Metropolitan areas

As of 2006, the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics defines three metropolitan areas: Tel Aviv (population 3,040,400), Haifa (population 996,000) and Beersheba (population 531,600). The capital, Jerusalem, has a population of 719,900. The Jerusalem Institute of Israel Studies defines the metropolitan area Jerusalem (population 2,300,000, including 700,000 Jews and 1,600,000 Arabs).

Largest municipalities
Denotes inhabitants in the municipality area. The figures are as of December 31, 2006. See also List of cities in Israel.


Government

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Israel is a democratic republic with universal suffrage that operates under a parliamentary system.

Legislature

Israel's unicameral legislative branch is a 120-member parliament known as the Knesset. Membership in the Knesset is allocated to parties based on their proportion of the vote, via a proportional representation voting system. Elections to the Knesset are normally held every four years, but the Knesset can decide to dissolve itself ahead of time by a simple majority, known as a vote of no-confidence. Twelve parties currently hold seats.
Executive
The President of Israel is Head of State, serving as a largely ceremonial figurehead. The President selects the leader of the majority party or ruling coalition in the Knesset as the Prime Minister, who serves as head of government and leads the Cabinet. The current President is Moshe Katsav, though the acting President is Dalia Itzik; the current Prime Minister is Ehud Olmert.

Human rights

The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel proclaimed that the state "...will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations." However, like many democracies, Israel often struggles with issues of minority rights, especially when it comes to the often contentious issues surrounding the treatment of Israel's large Arab minority, which constitutes 15% of Israel's population. The Arab minority, however, is represented in Israel's cabinet.

While Israel does not have a constitution, it has a set of Basic Laws, intended to form the basis of a future constitution. One of those Basic Laws, , serves as one of the major tools for defending human rights and liberties. According to the 2005 US Department of State report on Israel, "The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas..." Various countries, international bodies, non-governmental organizations and individuals have evaluated and often criticized Israel's human rights record, often in relation to the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are highly critical of Israel's policies. By contrast, other organizations see Israel as one of the few free countries in the region. In 2006, Freedom House rated political rights in Israel as "1" (1 representing the most free and 7 the least free rating); civil liberties as "2"; and it received a combined freedom rating of "Free." Most of the countries in the Middle East were classified as "Not Free". However, areas controlled by Israel through military occupation but not considered within the country's main territory were rated as "6," "5," and "Not Free" (territories administered by the Palestinian Authority were rated as "5", "5", and "Partly Free").

Within Israel, policies of its government are often subjected to criticism from the left and right by its press as well as by a vast variety of political, human rights and watchdog groups such as Association for Civil Rights in Israel, B'Tselem, Machsom Watch, Women in Black, Women for Israel's Tomorrow, among others. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Sephardi Jews "have long charged that they suffered social and economic discrimination at the hands of the state's Ashkenazi establishment." Btselem, the Israeli human rights organization, has stated that Israel has created in the West Bank a regime of separation based on discrimination, applying two separate systems of law in the same area and basing the rights of individuals on their nationality. Such criticism has also led to Israel's press being ranked as most free in the region. According to the Reporters Without Borders (RWB), "The Israeli media were once again in 2005 the only ones in the region that had genuine freedom to speak out." RWB ranked Israel 50th (tied with Grenada) out of 168 countries as regards freedom of the press, the highest of any country in the Middle East and just ahead of the United States (53rd). In addition, Israel is also the only country in the region to have its press ranked as "Free" (29 on the scale 1-100) by Freedom House, though what Freedom House termed "Israeli-Occupied Territories/ Palestinian Authority" were ranked "Not Free" (84 out of 100).

Foreign relations

The State of Israel joined the United Nations on May 11, 1949 (see Israel and the United Nations). Today, Israel has diplomatic relations with 161 states. Israel is still not recognized by several countries, most of which are Arab.

Israel is a member of many international agencies and organizations and is also a member of the Mediterranean Dialogue with NATO.

Legal system
Israel has not completed a written constitution. Its government functions according to the laws of the Knesset, including the "Basic Laws of Israel", of which there are presently fourteen. These are slated to become the foundation of a future official constitution. In mid-2003, the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee began drafting an official constitution. The effort is still underway as of early 2007.

Israel's legal system mixes influences from Anglo-American, Continental and Jewish law, as well as the declaration of the State of Israel.

As in Anglo-American law, the Israeli legal system is based on the principle of stare decisis (precedent). It is an adversarial system, not an inquisitorial one, in the sense that the parties (for example, plaintiff and defendant) are the ones that bring the evidence before the court. The court does not conduct any independent investigation on the case.

As in Continental legal systems, the jury system was not adopted in Israel. Court cases are decided by professional judges. Additional Continental Law influences can be found in the fact that several major Israeli statutes (such as the Contract Law) are based on Civil Law principles. Israeli statute body is not comprised of Codes, but of individual statutes. However, a Civil Code draft has been completed recently, and is planned to become a bill.

Religious tribunals ([[Beth