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{{Infobox Country or territory
|native_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;"><big> מדינת ישראל </big><br/>''Medīnat Yisrā'el''<br/><big> دولة إسرائيل </big><br/>''Dawlat Isrā'īl''</span>
|conventional_long_name = <span style="line-height:1.33em;">State of Israel</span>
|common_name = Israel
|image_flag = Flag of Israel.svg
|image_coat = Israel coat of arms.svg
|symbol_type = Coat of arms
|image_map = LocationIsrael.png
|national_anthem = '']''&nbsp;&nbsp;<small>("The Hope")</small>
|official_languages = ], ]<!--NOTE: Only these two are official languages. See http://www.biu.ac.il/hu/lprc/fog0000000007.html-->
|capital = ]<ref name="capital">Jerusalem is Israel's official capital. The presidential residence, government offices and parliament (]) are all located there.
In 1980, as part of the '']'' the Knesset asserted that "Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel". The ] does not recognize this designation. Most nations maintain their embassies in ] <small>(see )</small> arguing that Jerusalem is still legally an international ] whose final status is pending future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which claims East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. The two remaining countries with embassies in Jerusalem have announced that they will move them to Tel Aviv too. See ] for more information.</ref><br/><small>{{coor dm|31|47|N|35|13|E}}</small>
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|largest_city = Jerusalem
|area = 22,145<sup>1</sup> <!--UN figure-->
|areami² = 8,550<sup>1</sup>
|area_rank = 151th
|area_magnitude = 1 E10
|percent_water = ~2
|population_estimate = 7,047,001<sup>2</sup> <!--http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3284752,00.html -->
|population_estimate_year = May 2006
|population_estimate_rank = 99th
|population_census = 5,548,523
|population_census_year = 1995
|population_density = 324
|population_densitymi² = 787 <!--outdated; please convert and update-->
|population_density_rank = 34th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
|GDP_PPP = $163.45 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 53rd
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $23,416
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 28th
|HDI_year = 2006
|HDI = 0.927
|HDI_rank = 23rd
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = from the ]
|established_event1 = ]
|established_date1 = ] ] (05 ] 5708)
|currency = ] (₪)
|currency_code = ILS
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST =
|utc_offset_DST = +3
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 972
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup> Includes the Golan Heights (UN figure).<br><sup>2</sup> Includes Israeli population living in the ].
}}
{{for|other meanings of the name|Israel (disambiguation)}}
'''Israel''' (]: {{Audio|He-Medinat Israel.ogg|'''מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל'''}}, ''Medinat Yisra'el''; {{lang-ar|'''دَوْلَةْ إِسْرَائِيل'''}}, ''Dawlat Isrā'īl''), officially the '''State of Israel''', is a country in ] on the southeastern edge of the ]. It is bordered by ] in the north, ] and ] in the east, and ] in the south-west<ref name=MFAarea>http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/facts%20about%20israel/land/ </ref> and has a population of over seven million people.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton57/st02_07x.pdf
| title = CBS, STATISTICAL ABSTRACT OF ISRAEL 2006
| publisher = Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics
| year = 2006
| accessdate = 2006-10-02
}}</ref>

Proclaimed independent in 1948, Israel is the world's only ], although its population includes citizens of many ethnic and religious backgrounds (see ]). According to the international ], the degree of ] and ] in Israel makes it the only ] in the ], consisting of a ] and ].<ref>{{cite web
| url= http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2006&country=6985 | title = Country Report - Israel (2006)
| publisher = ]
| year = 2006
| accessdate = 2006-10-17
}}</ref>

Israel has a vibrant cultural life and a technologically and industrially advanced economy. Israel was ranked 23rd out of 177 countries in the 2006 ] ], the highest ranking in the Middle East and third highest in ].

==Name==
The name "Israel" is rooted in the ], ] 32:28, where ] is renamed Israel after successfully wrestling with an angel of God.<ref name="israelname">This adversary was "a man", and later "God" according to ] 32:24–30; or "the angel", according to ] 12:4</ref> The biblical nation fathered by Jacob was then called "The ]" or the "]s."

The modern country was named ''State of Israel'', and its citizens are referred to as ''Israelis'' in English. Other rejected name proposals included '']'', '']'', '']'' and ''New Judea''.<ref name=PalestinePost>'']'' December 7, 1947, page 1. "Popular Opinion" column.</ref> 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 ] ].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,798687-2,00.html |publisher=] |date=May 31, 1948 |title=On the Move}}</ref>

==History==
{{main|History of Israel}}

===Historical roots===
{{seealso|History of ancient Israel and Judah|Jewish history|History of the Jews in the Land of Israel}}
The first historical record of the word "Israel" comes from an Egyptian ] documenting ]s in ]. Although this stele which referred to a people (the ] for ']' was absent) is dated to approximately 1211 ],<ref name="stones">{{cite web |url=http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/otarch2.html#merneptah |title=The Stones Speak: The Merneptah Stele |accessdate=2006-04-08}}</ref> Jewish tradition holds that the ] has been a Jewish ] and ] for three thousand years. The land of Israel holds a special place in Jewish religious obligations, encompassing Judaism's most important sites (such as the remains of the ] and ]s of the Jewish ], ]). Connected with these two versions of the temple are religiously significant rites which stand as the origin for many aspects of modern Judaism.<ref name="land">{{cite web |url=http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm |title=The Land of Israel |accessdate=2006-04-08}}</ref> Starting around the eleventh century ], the first of a series of ] established intermittent rule over the ] that lasted more than a ].

] sacked from Jerusalem, as seen on the ]. Traditionally, Jews are forbidden from walking under the arch as it is taken to express the sovereignty of Titus over the Jews.]]

Under ]n, ]n, ], ], ], ], and (briefly) ] rule, Jewish presence in the region dwindled because of mass expulsions. In particular, the failure of the ] against the ] in ] resulted in a large-scale expulsion of Jews. It was during this time that the Romans gave the name ] to the geographic area, in an attempt to erase Jewish ties to the land.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usd.edu/erp/Palestine/history.htm#135-337
|title = Palestine: History: 135-337: Syria Palaestina and the Tetrarchy
|accessdate = 2006-07-19
|last = Lehmann
|first = Clayton Miles
|year = 1998
|month = Summer
|work = The On-line Encyclopedia of the Roman Provinces
|publisher = University of South Dakota}}</ref> Nevertheless, the Jewish presence in Palestine remained constant. The main Jewish population shifted from the ] region to the ]. The ] and ], two of Judaism's most important religious texts, were composed in the region during this period. The ]s conquered the land from the ] in 638 ]. The ] ] was invented in ] during this time. The area was ruled by the ], then by the ], ], the ] and ], before becoming part of the empire of the ] (1260-1516) and the ] in 1517.

===Zionism and Immigration===
{{Israelis}}
{{main|Zionism|Aliyah}}
Jews living in the ] have sought to emigrate into Israel throughout the centuries. For example, in 1141 ] issued a call to the Jews to emigrate to Eretz Israel and eventually died in Jerusalem. In 1267, ] settled in Jerusalem and since then a continual Jewish presence in Jerusalem has been maintained. ] immigrated to the large Jewish community in ] in 1535. Waves of immigration also occurred, for example in the years 1209-1211, the "aliyah of the Rabbis of France and England" to ] became famous as in 1258 and 1266. In 1260, ] 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 ] and 300 of his followers, ] and over 1000 disciples, and over five hundred disciples (and their families) of the ] known as ]. Waves of rabbinical students immigrated in 1808-1809, settling in ], ] and then in ].<ref>Benzion Dinur, "The Messianic Fermentation and Immigration to the Land of Israel from the Crusades until the Black Death, and Their Ideological Roots," in Benzion Dinur, Historical Writings (Jerusalem: Mosad Bialik, 1975), vol. ii. , Elhanan Reiner, Pilgrims and Pilgrimage to the Land of Israel, 1099-1517, doctoral dissertation, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1988.</ref>

In 1860, the old Jewish community in Jerusalem started building neighborhoods outside the walls of the Old City (the first one being ]). In 1878, the first modern agricultural settlement was founded in the form of ].

The first big wave of modern immigration to Israel, or ''Aliyah'' (<big>עלייה</big>) started in 1881 as Jews fled growing persecution, or followed the ] ] ideas of ] and others of "redemption of the soil." Jews bought land from Ottoman and individual Arab landholders. After Jews established agricultural settlements, tensions erupted{{cn}} between the Jews and Arabs.

] (1860–1904), an ] Jew, founded the ]. In 1896, he published '']'' (''The Jewish State''), in which he called for the establishment of a national Jewish state. The following year he helped convene the first ].

The establishment of Zionism led to the ] with the influx of around forty thousand Jews. In 1917, the British Foreign Secretary ] issued the ] that "view with favour the establishment in ] of a national home for the Jewish people." In ], Palestine became a ] ].

Jewish immigration resumed in ] and ] waves after ]. A ] killed 133 Jews, including 67 in ].

The rise of ] in 1933 led to a ]. The Jews in the region increased from 11% of the population in 1922 to 30% by 1940.{{fact}} 28% of the land was already bought and owned by Zionist organizations plus additional private land owned by Jews.{{fact}} The southern half of the country is the barren and mostly empty ] desert. The subsequent ] in Europe led to ] from other parts of Europe. By the end of ], the number of Jews in Palestine was approximately 600,000.

In 1939, the British introduced a ], 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 ]. The White Paper was seen as a betrayal by the Jewish community and Zionists, who perceived it as being in conflict with the ]. 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 ] were intercepted and returned to Europe. Two specific examples of this policy involved the ships '']'' and ] (carrying Holocaust survivors in ]).<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.israeltoday.co.il/Default.aspx?tabid=139&view=item&idx=726
| title = WHITE PAPER
| publisher =
| date = 2005-10-09
| accessdate = 2006-10-08
}}</ref>

Attempts by Jews to circumvent the blockade and flee Europe became known as ].
{{see also|Jewish refugees|1922 Text: League of Nations Palestine Mandate}}

===Jewish Underground groups===
{{main|British Mandate of Palestine}}
As tensions grew between the Jewish and Arab populations, and with little apparent support from the British Mandate authorities, the Jewish community began to rely on itself for defense.

] commemorating the rebels hanged by the British.]]
Many Arabs, opposed to the Balfour Declaration, the mandate, and the Jewish National Home, instigated riots and ] against Jews in Jerusalem, Hebron, Jaffa, and Haifa. As a result of the 1921 Arab attacks, the ] 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 ] (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 ], which killed 91 people. Haganah, on the other hand, often preferred restraint. A further split occurred when ] left the Irgun to form ], (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 ] and even attempted to work with the ]s to secure European Jewry's emigration to Palestine.

These groups had an enormous impact on events and procedures in the period preceding the ], such as ] (the clandestine immigration from Europe), the forming of the ], and the withdrawal of the British, as well as to a great degree forming the foundation of the ] which exist in Israel today.

===Establishment of the State of Israel===
] pronounces the ] on ] ] in ].]]
{{main|Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel}}
In 1947, following increasing levels of violence from groups such as Irgun and Lehi, uncontrollable immigration from Europe and general war-weariness, the British government decided to withdraw from the ].<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Eye+on+Israel/British+Rule
|title = British Rule (see "The Termination of the British Mandate")
|publisher = ]
|accessdate = 2006-10-02
}}</ref>
The ] approved the ] dividing the territory into two states, with the Jewish area consisting of roughly 55% of the land, and the Arab area roughly 45%. ] was planned to be 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 ], ], ] tentatively accepted the partition, while the Arab League rejected it. The Arab Higher Committee immediately ordered a violent three-day ] on Jewish civilians, attacking buildings, shops, and neighborhoods, and prompting counter-attacks organized by underground Jewish militias like the ] and ]. These attacks soon turned into widespread fighting between Arabs and Jews, this civil war being the first "phase" of the 1948 War of Independence.<ref></ref>

The State of Israel was proclaimed on ] ], one day before the expiry of the ].

Israel was admitted as a member of the ] on ], ].

===1948 War of Independence and migration===
{{main|1948 Arab-Israeli War}}
{{see also|Jewish exodus from Arab lands|Palestinian exodus|Arab-Israeli conflict}}
Following the State of Israel's establishment, the armies of ], ], ], ], and ] joined the fighting 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 ] and laid siege on the city's west. However, forces of the ] successfully stopped most invading forces, and ] forces halted Egyptian encroachment from the south. At the beginning of June, the ] declared a one-month ceasefire during which the ] were officially formed. After numerous months of war, a ceasefire was declared in 1949 and temporary borders, known as the ], were instituted. Israel had gained an additional 26% of the Mandate territory west of the ]. Jordan, for its part, held the large mountainous areas of ] and ], which became known as the ]. Egypt took control of a small strip of land along the coast, which became known as the ].

During and after the war, then Prime Minister ] set about establishing order by dismantling the ] and underground organizations like the ] and ]. Those two groups were classified as terror organizations after the murder of ], a ] diplomat.

Large numbers of the Arab population fled the newly-created Jewish State during the ], which is referred to by many Palestinian groups and individuals as the ''Nakba'' (]: <big>النكبة</big>), meaning "disaster" or "cataclysm". Some Israeli historians suggest that the Palestinians fled because of orders from Arab generals. Many Palestinians left under the belief that the Arab armies would prevail and they would return.<ref name="NYPost">''The Arab Refugees'', The ]. November 30, 1948. .</ref> Moreover, "''Arab inhabitants of the State of Israel''" were offered "''full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its provisional and permanent institutions''" in the ]; many, however, refused.

Estimates of the final refugee count range from 400,000 to 900,000 with the official United Nations count at 711,000.<ref name="un">, published by the ], ] ]. (U.N. General Assembly Official Records, Fifth Session, Supplement No. 18, Document A/1367/Rev. 1) The Committee believed the estimate to be "as accurate as circumstances permit", and attributed the higher number on relief to, among other things, "duplication of ration cards, addition of persons who have been displaced from area other than Israel-held areas and of persons who, although not displaced, are destitute".</ref> The continuing conflict between Israel and the Arab world resulted in a lasting displacement that persists to this day.

Immigration of Holocaust survivors and Jewish refugees from Arab lands doubled Israel's population within a year of independence. Over the following years approximately 850,000 ] and ] fled or were expelled from surrounding Arab countries and ]. Of these, about 600,000 settled in Israel; the remainder went to Europe and the Americas (see ]).

===1950s and 1960s===
]
Between 1954 and 1955, under ] as prime minister, the ] &ndash; a failed attempt to bomb targets in ] &ndash; caused political disgrace in Israel. Compounding this, in 1956, Egypt nationalized the ], much to the chagrin of the ] and ]. Following this and a series of ] attacks, Israel created a secret military alliance with those two European powers and declared war on Egypt. After the ], the three collaborators faced international condemnation, and Israel was forced to withdraw its forces from the ].

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

In 1961, the ] ] ], who had been largely responsible for the ], the planned extermination of the ] of Europe, was captured in ], ], and brought to trial in Israel. Eichmann became the only person ever sentenced to death by the Israeli courts.

] after ].]]
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 ] from the ]. When Egypt closed the strategic ] to Israeli vessels, Israel deemed it a ] for pre-emptively attacking Egypt on ]. After the ensuing ] between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the Jewish State emerged triumphant. Israel had defeated the armies of three large Arab states and decimated their ]s. Territorially, Israel conquered the ], Gaza Strip, ], and ]. The ] of 1949 became the administrative boundary between Israel and her ], also called ]. However, Israel has spread its administrative domain to ] and the Golan Heights. The Sinai was later returned to Egypt following the signing of a peace treaty.

In 1967, Israeli aircraft ], killing 34 American servicemen. American and Israeli investigations into the incident concluded that the attack was a tragic accident involving confusion over the identity of the ].

In 1969, ], Israel's first and, to date, only female prime minister was elected.
{{see also|Positions on Jerusalem|Jerusalem Law|Golan Heights|Israeli-occupied territories}}

===1970s===
Between 1968 and 1972, a period known as the ], numerous scuffles erupted along the border between Israel and Syria and Egypt. Furthermore, in the early 1970s, ] embarked on an unprecedented wave of attacks against Israel and ] targets in other countries. The climax of this wave occurred at the ], when, in the ], Palestinian militants held hostage and killed members of the Israeli delegation. Israel responded with ], in which agents of ] assassinated most of those who were involved in the massacre.

Finally, on ] ], the day in 1973 of the Jewish ] fast, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched a surprise attack against Israel. However, despite early successes against an unprepared Israeli army, Egypt and Syria failed to accomplish their goal of regaining the territories lost in 1967. A number of years of relative calm ensued, which fostered the environment in which Israel and Egypt could make peace.

In 1974, ], with Meir's resignation, became Israel's fifth prime minister. Then, in the 1977 ] elections, the Ma'arach, the ruling party since 1948, created a storm by leaving the government. The new ] party, led by ], became the new ruling party.

Then, in November of that year, Egyptian President ], making a historic visit to the Jewish State, spoke before the ]: the first recognition of Israel by its Arab neighbors. Military reserves officers formed the ] movement to encourage this effort. Following the visit, the two nations conducted negotiations which led to the signing of the ]. In March 1979, Begin and Sadat signed the ] in ]. As laid out in the treaty, Israel withdrew from the ] and evacuated the settlements established there during the 1970s. It was also agreed to lend ] to ] across the ].
{{see also|War of Attrition|Munich Massacre|Yom Kippur War|Anwar Sadat|Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty}}

===1980s===
] participated in ] and later became the first Israeli ].]]
On ] ], the ] bombed the Iraqi ] at ] in an attempt to foil Iraqi efforts at producing an ]. This operation was known as ].

In 1982, Israel ] against ], which had been embroiled in the ] since 1975. The official reason for the attack was to defend Israel's northernmost settlements from terrorist attacks, which had been occurring frequently. However, after establishing a forty-kilometer barrier zone, the ] continued northward and even captured the capital, ]. Israeli forces expelled ] forces from the country, forcing the organization to relocate to ]. Unable to deal with the stress of the ongoing war, Prime Minister ] resigned from his post in 1983 and was replaced by ]. Though Israel withdrew from most of Lebanon in 1986, a buffer zone was maintained until May 2000 when Israel unilaterally withdrew from Lebanon.

The rest of the 1980s were spent constantly shifting from the right, led by ], to the left under ]. Peres, for example, 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 ] then broke out in 1987 and was accompanied by waves of violence in the ]. Following the outbreak, Shamir once again was elected prime minister, in 1988.
{{see also|1982 Lebanon War|Lebanese Civil War|PLO}}

===1990s===
During the ], ] hit Israel with thirty-nine ] missiles, although Israel was not a member of the coalition and was not involved in the fighting. The missiles didn't kill Israeli citizens directly, but there were some deaths from wrong use of the gas masks provided, one Israeli died from a ] following a hit, and one Israeli died from a ] hit. During the war, Israel also provided gas masks for the Palestinians in the ] and ].<ref>{{he icon}} Israeli High Court of Justice ruling mentioning how it enforced handing masks to all Palestinians during the ] as a principle of equality.</ref> The PLO, however, supported ].<ref> Mideast Mirror, August 6, 1990 </ref> Palestinians in the ] and ] marched and famously stood on their rooftops while Scud missiles were falling and cheered ] calling for him to bomb Israel with chemical weapons.<ref> Associated Press, August 12, 1990.</ref><ref>{{he icon}} An article in ''Ha'aretz'' discussing Palestinian support for Nasrallah, mentioning that Saddam captivated the hearts of the Palestinians in the 1990s through his goal of eradicating Israel.</ref><ref>{{he icon}} An article in ''Ma'ariv'' discussing an Israel-wide demonstration by Arabs citing their Gulf War song "Ya Saddam Ya Habib" ("Destroy Tel Aviv").</ref> Ultimately, Palestinians also used the gas masks against Israeli use of ] in the coming years.<ref>{{he icon}} ''Yediot Ahronot'' article: Israeli Deputy Minister of Defense says that in case Israel is 100% sure of another Iraqi attack (in 2002), gas masks will be provided for the Palstinians.</ref>

The early 1990s were marked by the beginning of a massive ] of Soviet Jews, who, according to the ], were entitled to become Israeli citizens upon arrival. About 380,000 arrived in 1990-91 alone. Although initially favouring the right, the new immigrants became the target of an aggressive election campaign by ], which blamed their employment and housing problems on the ruling ]. As a result, in the 1992 elections the immigrants voted ''en masse'' for Labor, letting the left achieve a 61-59 majority in the 1992 Knesset elections.

Following the elections, ] became prime minister, forming a left-wing government coalition. 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 ] and signed the ] with the ]. In 1994, ] became the second of Israel's neighbours to make peace with it.

] is buried in ] in ].]]
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 ] group, which opposed the accords. Public support slipped even further. On November 4, 1995, a Jewish nationalist militant named ] ].

Public dismay with the assassination created a backlash against Oslo opponents and significantly boosted the chances of ], 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 ], made the public mood swing once again and in May 1996 Peres narrowly lost to his challenger from ], ].

Although seen as a hard-liner opposing the Oslo Accords, Netanyahu withdrew from ] and signed the ] giving wider control to the ]. During Netanyahu's tenure, Israel experienced a lull in attacks against Israel's civilian population by Palestinian groups, but his government fell in 1999. Labor's ] beat Netanyahu by a wide margin in the 1999 elections and succeeded him as prime minister.
{{see also|Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace}}

===2000s===
Barak initiated unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. This process was intended to frustrate ] attacks on Israel by forcing them to cross Israel's border. Barak and ] once again conducted negotiations with ] at the ]. However, the talks failed. Barak offered to form a ] 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).

After the collapse of the talks, Palestinians began a second uprising, known as the ], just after the leader of the opposition ] visited the ] in ]. 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.

]
] became the new prime minister in March 2001 and consequently was re-elected, along with his ] party in the ] elections of 2003. Sharon initiated a plan to unilaterally withdraw from the ]. This ] was executed between August and September 2005.

Israel also is building a ] to defend the country from attacks by Palestinian armed groups. The barrier, which is planned to measure 681 kilometers, meanders past the ] and effectively annexes 9.5% of the West Bank.<ref name="B'Tselem"> separation barrier statistics</ref> The barrier has been met with some criticism from the international community and numerous protest demonstrations by the Israeli left.

After ] suffered a severe ], the powers of the office were passed to ], who was designated the "Acting" Prime Minister. On ], ], Olmert was elected Prime Minister after his party, ], Hebrew for "forward," won the most seats in the ] ].

On ], ], ] militants dug a tunnel under the ] from the ] and attacked an ] post, capturing an Israeli soldier and killing two others. In response, Israel began ], which consisted of heavy bombardment of ] 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 ] of innocent civilians and not giving ] 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.

The ] refers to the military conflict in ] and northern Israel, primarily between ] and Israel, which started on ] ]. The conflict began with a cross-border Hezbollah raid and shelling, which resulted in the capture of two and killing of three 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 ], ]s across much of the country, and ground incursions into ]. 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 ], ] ], although violations of the ceasefire have occurred from both sides. The conflict killed over one thousand Lebanese civilians,<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/middle_east/
|title = Humanitarian Assistance to Lebanon
|accessdate = 2006-09-03
|date = ] ]
|publisher = ] Disaster Assistance
}}</ref> 440 Hezbollah militants,<ref>{{http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20060906-045027-8532r}}</ref> and 119 Israeli soldiers,<ref name=MFA>{{cite news
|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+from+Lebanon-+Hizbullah/Israel-Hizbullah+conflict-+Victims+of+rocket+attacks+and+IDF+casualties+July-Aug+2006.htm|title=Israel-Hizbullah conflict: Victims of rocket attacks and IDF casualties|publisher=Israel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs}}</ref> as well as forty-four Israeli civilians,<ref name="MFA">{{cite news
|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+from+Lebanon-+Hizbullah/Israel-Hizbullah+conflict-+Victims+of+rocket+attacks+and+IDF+casualties+July-Aug+2006.htm|title=Israel-Hizbullah conflict: Victims of rocket attacks and IDF casualties|publisher=Israel, Ministry of Foreign Affairs}}</ref> 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.<ref name="warinnums">{{cite web
|url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6022211,00.html
|title = Mideast War, by the numbers
|publisher = Guardian / Associated Press
|date = ]
|accessdate = 2006-08-25
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.jcpa.org/brief/brief006-10.htm
|title = Hizballah's Rocket Campaign Against Northern Israel: A Preliminary Report
|publisher = Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
|date = ]
|accessdate = 2006-09-08
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.sviva.gov.il/Enviroment/bin/en.jsp?enPage=e_BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=Object&enDispWho=News^l3120&enZone=e_news
|title = Assessing the Environmental Costs of the War in the North - Summer 2006
|publisher = Ministry of Environmental Protection
|date = ]
|accessdate = 2006-09-14
}}</ref>

==Geography and climate==
]
]
{{main|Geography of Israel}}
Israel is bordered by ] in the north, ] and ] in the east, and ] in the south-west. It has ] on the ] in the west and the ] of ] (also known as the ]) in the south.

During the ] of 1967, Israel captured the West Bank from the Hashemite Kingdom of ], the ] from Syria, Gaza Strip (which was under Egyptian occupation), and ] from ]. It withdrew all ] and ] from Sinai by 1982 and ] by ] ]. The future ] of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights remains to be determined.

The sovereign territory of Israel, excluding all territories captured by Israel in 1967, is 20,770&nbsp;km² (8,019&nbsp;]) in area (1% is water). The total area under Israeli law, including ] and the ], is 22,145&nbsp;km² or 8,550&nbsp;mi²; with a little less than one per cent being water. The total area under Israeli control, including the military-controlled and ]-governed territory of the ], is 28,023&nbsp;km² (10,820&nbsp;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 high mountains in the north, like ] in the Golan Heights, can get cold, wet and often snowy and even ] experiences snow spells every couple of years. The coastal regions, where ] and ] are located, have a typical Mediterranean climate with cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
] at sundown.]]

===Metropolitan areas===
{{see also|Districts of Israel|List of cities in Israel}}
As of 2006, The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics defines three metropolitan areas: ] (population 3 million), ] (population 980,600) and ] (the ]; population 706,368).

==Government==
{{morepolitics|country=Israel}}<!--Please add new information to relevant articles of the series-->
Israel is a ] ] with ] that operates under the ]. According to the international ], the degree of ] and ] in Israel makes it the only ] in the ], consisting of a ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2006&country=6985 |title=Country Report - Israel (2006) |publisher=] |year=2006 |accessdate=2006-10-17}}</ref> Conversely, the research group ] (MAR) characterizes Israel's system of governance to be an "ethnic democracy", and notes that "the nationalism inherent in Israel’s foundation as a 'Jewish state' is at odds with its political basis of democratic governance vis-à-vis the Arab minority."<ref>{{cite web |title=Assessment for Arabs in Israel |publisher=Minorities at Risk |accessdate=26 October 2006 |url=http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/assessment.asp?groupId=66601}}</ref>

===Legislature===
] building, Israel's parliament.]]
Israel's ] legislative branch is a 120-member ] known as the ]. Membership in the Knesset is allocated to parties based on their proportion of the vote, via a ] voting system. Elections to the ] 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.
{{see also|List of political parties in Israel}}

===Executive===
The ] is ], serving as a largely ceremonial ]. The President selects the leader of the majority party or ruling coalition in the Knesset as the ], who serves as ].<ref name="1990s">For a short period in the 1990s the Prime Minister was directly elected by the electorate. This change was not viewed a success and was abandoned.</ref>

===Constitution and legal system===
Israel has not completed a written ]. Its government functions according to the laws of the ], especially the "]", 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 2006.<ref name="cfi">{{cite web |url=http://www.cfisrael.org |title=Constitution for Israel |accessdate=2006-04-08}}</ref>

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

As in Anglo-American law, the Israeli legal system is based on the principle of '']'' (precedent). It is an ], not an ] 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 ] system was not adopted in Israel. Court cases are decided by professional ]s. 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 (], ], Druze and Christian) have exclusive jurisdiction on annulment of marriages.

===Judiciary===
] building.]]
Israel's Judiciary branch is made of a three-tier system of courts. At the lowest level are Magistrate Courts, situated in most cities. Above them are District Courts, serving both as ] courts and as courts of first instance, situated in five cities: ], ], ], ] and ].

At the top of the judicial pyramid is the ] seated in Jerusalem. The current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is ]. The Supreme Court serves a dual role as the highest court of appeals and as the body for a separate institution known as the High Court of Justice (HCOJ). The HCOJ has the unique responsibility of addressing petitions presented to the Court by individual citizens. The respondents to these petitions are usually governmental agencies (including the Israel Defense Forces). The result of such petitions, which are decided by the HCOJ, may be an instruction by the HCOJ to the relevant Governmental agency to act in a manner prescribed by the HCOJ.

A committee composed of Knesset members, Supreme Court Justices, and Israeli Bar members carries out the election of judges. The Courts Law requires judges to retire at the age of seventy. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with the approval of the Minister of Justice, appoints registrars to all courts.

Israel is not a member of the ] as it fears it could lead to prosecution of Israeli settlers in the occupied territories.

==Military==
{{main|Israeli Security Forces}}
Israel's military consists of a unified ] (IDF), known in ] by the acronym ''Tzahal'' (<big>צה"ל</big>). Historically, there have been no separate Israeli military services. The Navy and ] are subordinate to the Army. There are other paramilitary agencies that deal with different aspects of Israel's security (such as '']'' and '']''). The IDF was based on paramilitary underground armies, chiefly ].

]
The IDF is one of the ] in the ] and ranks among the most battle-trained armed forces in the world, having been involved in five major wars and numerous border conflicts. In terms of personnel, the IDF's main resource is the training quality of its soldiers and expert institutions, rather than sheer numbers of soldiers. It also relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems, some developed and manufactured in Israel for its specific needs, and others imported (largely from the United States).

Most Israelis (males and females) are ]ed into the military at age 18.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts%20About%20Israel/State/The%20Israel%20Defense%20Forces
|title = The Israel Defense Forces
|publisher = Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
|accessdate = 2006-10-21}}</ref> Also immigrants sometimes volunteer to join the IDF. An exception are ]s, most of whom are not conscripted because of a possible conflict of interests, due to the possibility of war with neighboring Arab states. Other exceptions are those who cannot serve because of injury or disability, women who declare themselves married, or those who are religiously observant. Compulsory service is three years for men, and two years for women. ] and ] also actively enlist in the IDF. Since 1956, ] men have been conscripted in the same way as Jewish men, at the request of the Druze community. Men studying full-time in religious institutions can get a deferment from conscription. Most ] extend these deferments until they are too old to be conscripted, a practice that has fueled much controversy in Israel.

While Israeli Arabs are not conscripted, they are allowed to enlist voluntarily. This is the same policy as the Bedouin and many non-Jewish citizens of Israel.

Following compulsory service, Israeli men become part of the IDF reserve forces, and are usually required to serve several weeks every year as reservists until their forties.

===Nuclear capability===
There is much speculation regarding the nuclear capabilities of Israel. Since the middle of the twentieth century, the ] has been operational and capable of producing ] ]. This site has never been under the watch of the ], so it is therefore widely believed that Israel has a significant stockpile of nuclear weapons. The IAEA has stated outright that it believes Israel "to be a state possessing nuclear weapons," but the Israeli government has never confirmed or denied this assertion. Although size of nuclear arsenal is debated, it is generally accepted that Israel possesses more than one hundred devices. Israel is not a signatory of the ].

The supposed number of stationary nuclear weapons in 2002 is 200; Great Britain has 190.<ref>Source: the French-German textbook ''Histoire/Geschichte - Europa und die Welt seit 1945'', Klett 2006 and Nathan 2006, German version p. 311. ISBN 3-12-416510-1.</ref>

Data on Israeli nuclear deployment capability is much more freely available than hard data on their nuclear program. Israel leads the Middle East in ] development. The ] series of ballistic missile was begun in the 1970s, with three major designs built to date; Jericho I, II, and III. The Jericho II series has been in service since the mid 1980s and has a confirmed range of 1500&nbsp;km. The latest missile design, the Jericho III, has a conservative range estimate of 4500&nbsp;km.

In addition to ballistic missile technology, Israel maintains a fleet of ]s, widely suspected of having nuclear launch capability.

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Israel}}
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of ] (], ], and ]), ], ], 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 and beef. Diamonds, high technology, military equipment, software, pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and agricultural products (fruits, vegetables and flowers) are leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable ]s, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans (although some economists would say the deficit is a sign of Israel's advancing markets). Israel possesses extensive facilities for ], ], and ] fabrication. According to international data reported by the ], Israel has ] and strongest protections of property rights in the Greater Middle East.

Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the ], which is its major source of economic and military aid. A relatively large fraction of Israel's external debt is held by ]s, via the ] program. The combination of American loan guarantees and direct sales to individual investors, allow the state to borrow at competitive and sometimes below-market rates.

] where the diamond stock exchange is located.]]
The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former ] topped 750,000 during the period 1989–1999, bringing the population of Israel from the former ] to one million, one-sixth of the total population, many of them highly educated, adding scientific and professional expertise of substantial value for the economy's future. The influx, coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the ], energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early ]. But growth began slowing in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Those policies brought inflation down to record low levels in 1999.

Twenty-four percent of Israel's workforce holds university degrees, ranking Israel third in the industrialized world after the United States and ]. Twelve percent hold advanced degrees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.israelfm.org/economic/investing/top_ten.htm |title=Top Ten Reasons to Invest in Israel |publisher=Israel Consulate in New York |accessdate=2006-11-19}}</ref>

The important diamond industry has been affected by changing industry conditions and shifts of certain industry activities to the Far East.

As Israel has liberalized its economy and reduced taxes and spending, the gap between the rich and poor has grown. As of 2005, 20.5% of Israeli families (and 34% of Israeli children) are living below the poverty line, though around 40% of those are lifted above the poverty line through transfer payments {{fact}}.

Israel's GDP per capita, as of ], ], was $20,551.20 per person (42nd in the world). Israel's overall productivity was $54,510.40, and the amount of patents granted was 74/1,000,000 people{{fact}}.

] at end of ]: 7,082.0 thousand (7.1 million

Number of Israeli persons employed (2006, second quarter): 2,565.6 thousand (2.6 million).

As of ] average monthly wages per employee were: 7,521 ] or 1,749 ].

Private consumption expenditure per capita (2006, second quarter): 12,208 ] or 2,839 ].

Percent of unemployed persons (2006, first quarter): 8.7%

===Science and technology===
]]]
{{main|Science and technology in Israel}}
Israeli contributions to ] and ] have been significant. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, Israel has worked in science and engineering. Israeli scientists have contributed in the areas of ], ], ], ], ] and other ] industries. Israeli science is well known for its ], as well as its work in advancing fields such as agriculture, physics, and medicine {{fact}}.

Four Israelis have won science ]s. Biologists ] and ] of the ] shared the Chemistry prize in 2004. Israeli-American psychologist ] had previously won the 2002 prize in Economics. In 2005, ] from The ] also won the prize in Economics.

High technology industries have taken a pre-eminent role in the economy, particularly in the last decade. Israel's limited natural resources and strong emphasis on education have also played key roles in directing industry towards high technology fields. As a result of the country’s success in developing cutting edge technologies in software, communications and the life sciences, Israel is frequently referred to as a second ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Israel keen on IT tie-ups |date=] |publisher=The Hindu Business Line|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2001/01/11/stories/151139ue.htm}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |title=Israel: Punching above its weight |date=] |publisher=]|url=http://www.ebusinessforum.com/index.asp?doc_id=7798&layout=rich_story}}</ref>

Israel (as of 2004) receives more venture capital investment than any country of Europe,<ref>{{cite web |title=Venture capital invests in Israeli techs
Recovering from recession, country ranks behind only Boston, Silicon Valley in attracting cash for startups |date=] |publisher=]|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/04/02/BUG675V5L41.DTL}}</ref> and has the largest VC/GDP rate in the world, seven times that of the United States {{fact}}. Israel has the largest number of ] in the world after the United States {{fact}}. Outside the ] and ], Israel has the largest number of ] listed companies.<ref>{{cite web |title=NASDAQ Appoints Asaf Homossany as New Director for Israel |date=] |publisher=]|url=http://www.nasdaq.com/newsroom/news/pr2005/ne_section05_019.stm}}</ref> Israel also has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per Capita {{fact}}.

Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation: 109 per 10,000 people.<ref name=mideastoutpost>{{cite news |title=BOYCOTT ISRAEL? DO IT PROPERLY.. |date=] |publisher=]|url=http://mideastoutpost.com/archives/000121.html}}</ref> It also boasts one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed.

Israel is ranked third in Research and development spending; eighth in technological readiness (companies spending on R&D, the creativity of its scientific community, personal computer and internet penetration rates); eleventh in innovation; sixteenth in high technology exports; and seventeenth in technological achievement in 's list of countries in the world by economy standards.

].]]
].]]
; Tourism
{{main|Tourism in Israel}}
Another leading industry is tourism, which benefits from the plethora of important historical sites for Judaism and Christianity and from Israel's warm climate and access to water resources. Tourism in Israel includes a rich variety of historical and religious sites in the ], as well as modern beach resorts, ], ] and ].

==Population==
===Demographics===
] soldiers chat with Arab civilians in ], 1978.]]
{{main|Demographics of Israel|Languages of Israel}}
According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, as of May 2006, of Israel's 7 million people, 77% were ]s, 18.5% ]s, and 4.3% "others".<ref name="pdf2">{{cite web |url=http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton56/st02_01.pdf |title=Population, by religion and population group |accessdate=2006-04-08 |first=Government of Israel |last=Central Bureau of Statistics}}</ref> Among Jews, 68% were ] (Israeli-born), mostly second or third-generation Israelis, and the rest are ]: 22% from ] and the ], and 10% from ] and ], including the ].<ref name="pdf3">{{cite web |url=http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton56/st02_24.pdf |title=Jews and others, by origin, continent of birth and period of immigration |accessdate=2006-04-08 |first=Government of Israel |last=Central Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>

Israel has two official languages: ] and ]. Hebrew is the major and primary language of the state and is spoken by the majority of the population. Arabic is spoken by the Arab minority and by some members of the ] Jewish community. ] is studied in school and is spoken by the majority of the population as a second language. Other languages spoken in Israel include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. American and European popular television shows are commonly presented. Newspapers can be found in all languages listed above as well as others.

As of 2004, 224,200 Israeli citizens lived in the ] in numerous ]s, (including towns such as ] and ], and a handful of communities that were present long before the ] and were re-established after the ] such as ] and ]). Around 180,000 Israelis lived in ],<ref name="fmep">{{cite web |url=http://fmep.org/settlement_info/stats_data/jerusalem/east_jerusalem_population_area_2000-2002.html |title=East Jerusalem Population and Area, 2000-2002 |accessdate=2006-04-08 |first=Foundation for Middle East Peace |last=Settlements information}}</ref> which came under Israeli law following its capture from Jordan during the Six-Day War. About 8,500 Israelis lived in settlements built in the ], prior to their forcible removal by the government in the summer of ] as part of ].

===Culture of Israel===
], ''Flute Players'', oil on canvas, 1967.]]
{{main|Culture of Israel}}
The culture of Israel is inseparable from long history of Judaism and Jewish history which preceded it.

Tel Aviv, Haifa, ], and Jerusalem have excellent art museums, and many towns and kibbutzim have smaller high-quality museums. The ] in Jerusalem houses the ] along with an extensive collection of Jewish religious and folk art. The ] is located on the campus of Tel Aviv University.

Israel has ] in ], ], and ].

Of the three major repertory companies, the most famous, ], was founded in 1917.

Israel remains the most advanced and tolerant country in the Middle East in terms of ].
{{seealso|Archaeology of Israel|Israel Antiquities Authority|Jewish cuisine|Israeli wine|Kibbutz}}

====Education====
{{main|Education in Israel}}
Israel is the most educated country in the Greater Middle East and Western Asia, and is tied with ] as the most educated in the entire Asian continent. It is also ranked quite highly in relation to the rest of the world (#22).<ref></ref>

Israel boasts the highest ] rate in the Middle East.<ref></ref>

Out of all countries in the Middle East and Western Asia, tiny Israel has by far the largest amount of ] alumni, one of the most prestigious and competitive schools in the world.

Of the top ten universities in the Middle East, seven out of ten are in Israel, including all top four. The ] is the only university in the Middle East that holds the honor of being ranked in the ] premier top 200 of the world. It is markedly uncommon for this honour to be earned by schools outside of North America and Europe. Israel is the only country in the Middle East (and one of only two in Asia, the other being Japan) that is home to a university listed in ]'s Top 100 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Hebrew University, #60).

The education system in Israel, up to ] level, consists of three tiers: the ] (grades 1-6), followed by a ] (grades 7-9), then ] (grades 10-12). ] is from grades 1 to 9.

The secondary education mostly consists of preparation for the Israeli matriculation exams (''bagrut''). The exams consist of a multitude of subjects, some of them mandatory (], ], ], ], ] and ]), and some optional (e.g. ], ], ]).

In 2003, 56.4% of Israeli grade 12 students received a matriculation certificate: 57.4% in the Hebrew sector and 50.7% in the Arab sector.

Any Israeli with a full matriculation certificate can proceed to ], as in any country. Institutions generally require a certain grade average, as well as a good grade in the psychometric exam (similar to the American ]). All ], and some ]s, are subsidized by the state, and students pay only a small part of the actual cost as ].

Israel has eight universities, one of them open, and several dozen colleges {{seealso|List of universities and colleges in Israel}}

====Sports====
] won Israel's first ] at the ].]]
{{main|Sports in Israel}}
Sports in Israel, as in other countries, are an important part of the national culture. The Israeli sporting culture is much like that of European countries. Israeli athletics go back as far as before the establishment of the state of Israel. While ] (soccer) and ] are considered the most popular sports in Israel, the nation has reached many achievements in other sports, such as ] and ], and Israelis are also involved in ], ], wide variety of other athletic activities and even ].

To date Israel has won six ].

====Literature====
{{main|Israeli literature}}
Israeli literature is mostly written in Hebrew and the history of Israeli literature is mostly the product of the revival of the Hebrew language as a spoken language in modern times.

Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the Hebrew language was increasingly used for speaking as well as writing modern forms of prose, poetry and drama. Every year thousands of new books are published in Hebrew and most of them are original to the Hebrew language.

] won the ] in 1966.

====Music====
]]]
]]]
{{main|Music of Israel}}
Israeli music is diverse and combines elements of both western and eastern music. It tends toward eclecticism and contains a wide variety of influences from the ] and makes use of modern cultural importation as well. ] songs, Asian and Arab pop, especially Yemenite singers, ] and ] are all part of musical scene.

Israel's canonical ] often deal with ] hopes and dreams and glorify the life of idealistic ]ish youth who intend on building a home and defending their homeland. These are usually known as <big>שירי ארץ ישראל</big> ("Songs of the ]").

Israel is well known for its famous classical ]s and the ] under the management of ] has a worldwide reputation. ], ] and ] are some of the more renowned classical musicians from Israel.

Music styles popular in Israel include pop, rock, heavy metal, hip hop and rap, trance (especially ] and ]), Oriental ] and ethnic music of various sorts.

Israel has ] three times.
{{seealso|Hatikvah}}

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in Israel}}
According to the ], at the end of 2005, 76% of Israelis were ]s by religion (]), 19.7% were ] (including ], ] and ]) and the remaining 4.3% "others" (including mostly family members of ] immigrants and some ']' which were not classified by religion, as well as non-Arab Christians).<ref name="pdf2">{{cite web |url=http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton57/st02_01.pdf |title=Population, by religion and population group |accessdate=2006-04-08 |first=Government of Israel |last=Central Bureau of Statistics}}</ref>

Roughly 12% of Israeli Jews defined as ] (ultra-orthodox religious); an additional 9% are "religious"; 35% consider themselves "traditionalists" (not strictly adhering to Jewish ]); and 43% are "secular" (termed "hiloni"). Among the seculars, 53% believe in God. However, 78% of all Israelis participate in a ]seder.<ref> by Daniel J. Elazar (JCPA).</ref>

Israelis tend not to align themselves with a movement of ] (such as ] or ]) but instead tend to define their religious affiliation by degree of their religious practice.

Among ], 82.6% were Muslim, 8.8% were ] and 8.4% were ].<!--<ref name="pdf2">{{cite web| url=http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton56/st02_01.pdf| title=Population, by religion and population group| accessdate=2006-04-08| first=Government of Israel| last=Central Bureau of Statistics| format=PDF}}</ref>-->

There is a small community of mostly ]n-born ] Muslims in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alhafeez.org/rashid/kababeer.htm}}|title=Ahmadis in Israel}}</ref> Up to fourteen diverse ] groups are presently active in Israel, catering to Israeli ]s as well as a tiny number of ]ese Buddhists who came to Israel as ] and were granted citizenship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhanet.net/africame/m_eastdir.htm#israel |title=BuddhaNet Middle East Directory |publisher=BuddhaNet|accessdate=2006-11-24}}</ref>

The ] world centre, which includes the ], in Haifa attracts ] from all over the world.{{fact}} Apart from a few hundred staff, Baha'is do not live in Israel.

{{seealso|Holidays and events in Israel}}

==Human rights==
{{main|Human rights in Israel}}
The ] 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 ]; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee ], ], language, education and culture; it will safeguard the ]s of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the ].''"<ref>]</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.acri.org.il/english-acri/engine/story.asp?id=100
|title = A Status Report – Equality for Arab Citizens of Israel
|publisher = ]
|year = 2002
|accessdate = August 2, 2006
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.huka.gov.il/index.php/Human_Rights
|title = Human Rights
|publisher = A joint project of the ] and the ], operated in North America by the Israeli American Jewish Forum.
|accessdate = August 25, 2006
}}</ref> In 2005 Israel's interior minister ] termed the country's policy toward its Arab citizens "institutional discrimination."<ref name="CRHRP">{{cite web
|url = http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61690.htm
|title = Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005 - Israel and the occupied territories
|publisher = ]
|date = March 8, 2006
|accessdate = September 22, 2006
}}</ref>

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 ] establishment."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/6561/edition_id/123/format/html/displaystory.html |title=Jewish Agency Probe Ordered on Confiscation of Sephardi IDs |publisher=The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California |accessdate=October 18, 2006}}</ref>

Various countries, international bodies, ] and individuals have evaluated and often criticized Israel's human rights record, often in relation to the ongoing ] and the ].
Groups such as ]<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/isr-summary-eng
|title = Israel and the Occupied Territories
|accessdate = 2006-09-03
|year = 2006
|work = AI Report 2005
|publisher = ]
}}</ref>
and ]<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://hrw.org/doc/?t=mideast&c=isrlpa
|title = Israel/Palestinian Authority
|accessdate = 2006-09-03
|year = 2006
|publisher = Human Rights Watch
}}</ref>
are highly critical of Israel's policies. In turn, these groups were accused of anti-Israel bias: ], ].
According to the 2005 ] report on Israel, "''The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas...''"<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61690.htm
|title = Israel and the Occupied Territories
|date = March 8, 2006
|accessdate = July 27, 2006
|year = 2005
|work = Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005. Israel and the Occupied Territories
|publisher = Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
}}</ref>
In 2006, the ] rated ] in Israel as "1" (1 representing the most free and 7 the least free rating), ] as "2" and gave it the freedom rating of "Free." Other areas, ] but not considered with the country's main territory were rated as "6," "5," and "Not Free." <ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/pdf/Charts2006.pdf
|title = Freedom in the World 2006
|publisher = ]
|date = ]
|accessdate = 2006-07-27
|format = {{PDFlink}}
}}<br/>See also ], ]}}</ref> Most of the countries in the Middle East were classified as "Not Free." ], the Israeli human rights organization, has stated that Israel has created in the ] 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.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.btselem.org/English/Publications/Summaries/200205_Land_Grab.asp
|title = Land Grab: Israel's Settlement Policy in the West Bank
|publisher = ]
|date = may, 2002
|accessdate = September 29, 2006
}}</ref>

Within Israel, policies of its government are often subjected to criticism from the left and right by its press (the only country ranked "Free" (28 on the scale 1-100) in the region in 2005 by Freedom House<ref>{{cite web
|title = Press Freedom Rankings by Region 2005
|publisher = ]
|date = 2005
|url = http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=202&year=2005
|accessdate=2006-08-12
}}</ref>) as well as by a vast variety of political, human rights and watchdog groups such as ], ], ], ], ], among others. According to the ], "''The Israeli media were once again in 2005 the only ones in the region that had genuine freedom to speak out.''"<ref>{{cite web
|title = Israel - Annual report 2006
|publisher = ]
|date = 2006
|url = http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17231&Valider=OK
|accessdate=2006-08-12
}}</ref>
RWB ranked Israel 47th out of 167 countries in ] (just behind the ] at 44th), the highest of any country in the Middle East.<ref>"Little improvement in Middle East: Few of the region’s countries rank high in the Index. Israel (47th) does best..." , Middle East, ], retrieved October 16, 2006.</ref>

==Foreign relations==
{{main|Foreign relations of Israel}}
High priorities in the ] of Israel include seeking an end to hostilities with Arab forces and gaining wide acceptance as a sovereign state with an important international role.

The State of Israel joined the ] on ], ] (see ]). Today, Israel has diplomatic relations with 161 states.<ref> (Israeli MFA).</ref>

Israel is a member of many international agencies and organizations and a member of the ] with ].

== Annotated list of Israeli media sources ==
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'''General references to the Israeli media:'''
* Summary from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
* ]

'''English-language periodicals:'''
* '']'' English edition of the quarterly journal offering essays and criticism on Israeli and Jewish public policy, culture and philosophy
* '']'' English-language website of Israel's business and technology daily
* '']'' Online English edition of the relatively highbrow Hebrew-language newspaper, Haaretz has a liberal editorial stance similar to that of '']''.
* '']'' - Independent outlet. Target audience is American Jewry.
* '']'' Independent Christian-run news outlet
* '']'' Israel's oldest English-language newspaper
* '']'' English ]
* '']'' English-language website of Israel's largest newspaper '']''
'''Hebrew-language periodicals:'''
* '']'' business daily
* '']'' Relatively highbrow Israeli newspaper with a liberal editorial stance similar to that of '']''
* '']'' Daily newspaper serving Israel's ] community. English editions are also published in the ] and the ] and serve local Jewish Orthodox communities in those countries. ''Hamodia'' is not available online.
* '']'' daily newspaper with a ] point of view
* '']'' Second largest Israeli newspaper, centrist.
* '']'' highbrow ], conceived as an alternative to ]
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'''Hebrew-language periodicals (continued):'''
* '']'' Hebrew edition of ''Azure'', a quarterly journal covering Israeli public policy
* '']'' Daily newspaper serving the ] community
* '']'' Israel's largest newspaper
'''German-language periodicals:'''
* '']'' The German-language daily from Tel Aviv for the 100,000 German-speaking Jews in Israel

'''Arabic-language periodicals:'''
* ''Al-Ittihad'' Arabic-language daily newspaper
<!-- '''Russian-language periodicals:''' -->

'''Israeli broadcast media:'''
* , TV News in Hebrew, some English.
* video news update from Israel in English by ] News.
*
* news site representing the settler community, right-wing religious (English)
* Also produced by the IBA. In Hebrew, French, English, Spanish, Ladino, Russian, Persian, Yiddish, etc.
* - Independent, multimedia broadcast and distribution network that focuses on Israeli foreign affairs and defense issues (English)
* ] Weekly podcast about everyday life and politics in Israel (English)

'''Notable Internet sources:'''
* ] daily digest of Israeli and world media reports on Israel and the Middle East prepared by the ] for ]
* ] Pro-Israel news and views from right-wing perspective.
*

'''Relevant non-Israeli media:'''
* ] , New York-based ] covering worldwide Jewish news, centrist (English)
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==References and footnotes==
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>

==See also==
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* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
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* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] - Israeli leading area of innovation in waste technology
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* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
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== External links ==
{{sisterlinks|Israel}}
{{portal}}
* {{wikitravel}}

; General information
* Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
*
* (])
*
*
* includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
* a sample of an Israeli Moshav.
* directory category of the WWW-VL
* definitions, events and terms related to Israel, (Ynet News)
*
*

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; Government
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, includes virtually all aspects
* or
*
*
*
*
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; Legislation and the legal system
*
* , legal code of Israel
* in English
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{{col-begin}}
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; History
* The Jewish History Resource Center, Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
* from the BBC
*
* (MFA)
* (Isracast)

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; Economy, science, and technology
*
* , the hundred largest companies in Israel
*
* (isracast.com, English)
.
.
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; Society
*
*
* , discussion with Ori Nir, correspondent for Haaretz and the Forward.
* by Prof. Shimon Shetreet, former minister of Religious Affairs.
* the ], an experimental Arab-Jewish cooperative village.
* , Reform Judaism in Israel
==Neighbouring countries==

{{Geographic Location (8-way)
| Northwest = ]
| North = {{LEB}}
| Northeast = {{SYR}}
| West =
| Centre = {{ISR}}
| East = {{JOR}}
| Southwest = {{EGY}}
| South = ]
| Southeast = ]&nbsp; ]&nbsp; {{SAU}}}}

{{Southwest Asia}}
{{Countries and territories of the Middle East}}
{{Countries of Asia}}
{{Countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea}}
{{Red Sea}}
{{Indian Ocean}}
{{Semitic-speaking}}

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Revision as of 14:59, 25 November 2006

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