1948 Jewish MILITARY BOARD GAME Barlevi INDEPENDENCE WAR Israel MAP Judaica IDF
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1948 Jewish MILITARY BOARD GAME Barlevi INDEPENDENCE WAR Israel MAP Judaica IDF:
$495.00
DESCRIPTION : Up for sale is an ULTRA RARE and EXTREMELY IMPORTANT Museum piece. It\'s a war BOARD GAME , Namely the 1948 ISRAEL WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. It was published in ca 1949-1950 , Right after the establishment of the INDEPENDENT STATE OF ISRAEL and its heroic victory in its WAR OF INDEPENDENCE . This BOARD GAME is based directly and specificaly in the BATTLES and MILITARY MANEUVERS of the ISRAELI ARMY , The IDF , Zahal in this war. The BOARD GAME is named \" OUR WAR - From a PRIVATE to a GENERAL\" . The BOARD ( A genuine STONE LITHOGRAPH ) is a MAP OF ISRAEL on which all the IMPORTANT BATTLES andMILITARY MANEUVERS are depicted . The players are using a DICE and CARDS of all the MILITARY IDF RANKS and moving instrucctions which are written on their back . The GOAL of the game is to climb up from a rank of PRIVATE and to become a GENERAL.This BOARD GAMEwas designed , created and publishedinca 1949 - 1950 , Right after the times of the BRITISH MANDATE ,Right after the STATE of ISRAEL was established and after its 1948 WAR OF INDEPENDENCE .The CREATOR of this BOARD GAME was the legendary ARIEH BARLEVI ( Barlevy ), The main manufactor of GAMES : Board games and CARD GAMES in Eretz Israel - Palestine and later on in Israel state - This BOARD GAME is numbered \"201\" . One of the first Barlevi\'s Eretz IsraeliBOARD GAMES . This specific BOXED BOARD GAME was magnificently preserved. It consists of an intact ILLUSTRATED CARDBOARD ( Genuine STONE LITHOGRAPH ) . A folded BOARD of cardboard( Genuine STONE LITHOGRAPH ) being the MAP of ERETZ ISRAEL. All the RANK CARDS. The original DICE ( Made of cardboard as issued ) and the original plastic PAWNS. Also the full ORRIGINAL GAME INSTRUCTIONS.Size of the intact boxis around 11.5 x 9.5 x 1.0 \" . Size ofBOARD isaround 9.5 x 28\". The game was never played and it is in an EXCELLENT condition . The BOX is intact but suffers from slight shelf wear and foxing. The BOARD was taken out of the box and was FRAMED for protection. ( It will dismantled from the protective frame to be put back in the box after being bought ) .All the PAWNS are present , And so are the travelling RANK cards which show no signs of usage. The FULL Hebrew INSTRUCTIONS are also present. The game can be very definitely PLAYED WITH. It\'s an EXTREMELY RARE MUSEUM PIECE. A VERY IMPORTANT ISRAELIANA ARTIFACT.A similar game of lesser condition was recently sold by the most respected and considered Israeli sale house for $500. ( Pls look at scan for accurate AS IS images ). Will be sent inside a rigid protectivepackaging .
AUTHENTICITY :This board GAMEis fullyguaranteed ORIGINAL from 1949-1950 , NOT a reproduction or a recent reprint ,It comes with life long GUARANTEE for itsAUTHENTICITY and ORIGINALITY.
PAYMENTS : Payment method accepted : Paypal .SHIPPMENT : SHIPP worldwide via registered airmailis $25 .Will be sent inside a rigid protectivepackaging .Will be sent within3-5 days after payment . Kindly note that duration of Int\'l registered airmail is around 14 officially theState of Israel(Hebrew:מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵלMedīnat Yisrā\'el[mediˈnat jisʁaˈʔel];Arabic:دَوْلَة إِسْرَائِيلDawlat Isrāʼīl[dawlat ʔisraːˈʔiːl]), is a country in theMiddle East, on thesouthEastern shoreof theMediterranean Seaand the northern shore of theRed Sea. It has landborderswithLebanonto the north,Syriato the northeast,Jordanon the east, thePalestinian territoriesof theWest BankandGaza Strip[8]to the east and west, respectively, andEgyptto the southwest. The country contains geographically diverse features within its relatively isTel Aviv,[10]while itsseat of governmentand proclaimed capital isJerusalem, although the state\'s sovereignty over Jerusalem isinternationally unrecognized.[note 1][11][12]In 1947, theUnited Nationsadopted aPartition PlanforMandatory Palestinerecommending the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states and aninternationalized Jerusalem.[13]The plan was accepted by theJewish Agency for Palestine, and rejected by Arab leaders.[14][15]Next year, the Jewish Agencydeclared\"the establishment of aJewish stateinEretz Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.\"[16]Israel has since foughtseveral warswith neighboring Arab states,[17]in the course of which it hasoccupiedterritories including the West Bank,Golan Heightsand the Gaza Strip (still considered occupied after2005 disengagement).[note 2]It extended its laws to the Golan Heights andEast Jerusalem, but not the West Bank.[18][19][20][21]Israel\'s occupation of the Palestinian territories is the world\'slongest military occupationin modern times.[note 2][23]Effortsto resolve theIsraeli–Palestinian conflicthave not resulted in peace. However, peace treaties between Israel and bothEgyptandJordanhave successfully been implemented.Thepopulation of Israel, as defined by theIsrael Central Bureau of Statistics, was estimated in 2017 to be 8,689,760people.[3]It is the world\'s onlyJewish-majority state, with 74.8% being designated asJewish. The country\'s second largest group of citizens areArabs, at 20.8% (including the Druze and most East Jerusalem Arabs).[1]The great majority of Israeli Arabs are SunniMuslims, including significant numbers ofsemi-settledNegev Bedouins; the rest areChristiansandDruze. Other minorities Hebrew Israel also hosts a significant population of non-citizen foreign workers and asylum seekers from Africa and Asia,[24]includingillegal migrants from Sudan, Eritreaand otherSub-Saharan Africans.In itsBasic Laws, Israel defines itself as aJewish and democratic state.[25]Israel is arepresentative democracy[26]with aparliamentary system,proportional representationanduniversal suffrage.[27][28]Theprime ministeris head ofgovernmentand theKnessetis thelegislature. Israel is adeveloped countryand anOECDmember,[29]with the35th-largesteconomyin the world by nominal gross domestic product as of 2016. The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most educated countries in the world withone of the highest percentageof its citizens holding atertiary educationdegree.[30]The country hasthe higheststandard of livingin the Middle East and thethird highestin Asia,[7]and hasone of the highest life expectanciesin the world.[31]Contents[hide]1 Etymology2 History2.1 Prehistory2.2 Antiquity2.3 Classical period2.4 Middle Ages and modern history2.5 Zionism and British mandate2.6 After World War II2.7 Early years of the State of Israel2.8 Further conflict and peace process3 Geography and Environment3.1 Tectonics and seismicity3.2 Climate4 Demographics4.1 Major urban areas4.2 Language4.3 Religion4.4 Education5 Politics5.1 Legal system5.2 Administrative divisions5.3 Israeli-occupied territories5.4 Foreign relations5.5 International humanitarian efforts5.6 Military6 Economy6.1 Science and technology6.2 Transportation6.3 Tourism6.4 Energy7 Culture7.1 Literature7.2 Music and dance7.3 Cinema and theatre7.4 Media7.5 Museums7.6 Cuisine7.7 Sports8 See also9 Notes10 References11 Bibliography12 External linksEtymologyTheMerneptah Stele(13th century BC). The majority ofbiblical archeologiststranslate a set of hieroglyphs as \"Israel,\" the first instance of the name in the record.Upon independence in 1948, the country formally adopted the name \"State of Israel\" (Medinat Yisrael) after other proposed historical and religious names includingEretz Israel(\"theLand of Israel\"),Zion, andJudea, were considered and rejected.[32]In the early weeks of independence, the government chose the term \"Israeli\" to denote a citizen of Israel, with the formal announcement made byMinister of Foreign AffairsMoshe Sharett.[33]The namesLand of IsraelandChildren of Israelhave historically been used to refer to the biblicalKingdom of Israeland the entire Jewish people respectively.[34]Thename \'El(God) persists/rules\' though, after Hosea 12:4 often interpreted as \"struggle with God\"[35][36][37][38]) in these phrases refers to the patriarchJacobwho, according to theHebrew Bible, was given the name after he successfully wrestled with the angel of the Lord.[39]Jacob\'s twelve sons became the ancestors of theIsraelites, also known as theTwelve Tribes of IsraelorChildren of Israel. Jacob and his sons had lived inCanaanbut were forced by famine to go intoEgyptfor four generations, lasting 430 years,[40]untilMoses, a great-great grandson of Jacob,[41]led the Israelites back into Canaan during the \"Exodus\". The earliest known archaeological artifact to mention the word \"Israel\" as a collective is theMerneptah Steleofancient Egypt(dated to the late 13th century BCE).[42]The area is also known as theHoly Land, being holy for allAbrahamic theBahá\'í Faith. From 1920, the whole region was known asPalestine (under British Mandate)[note 3]until theIsraeli Declaration of Independenceof 1948.[43]Through the centuries, the territory was known by a variety of other names, PalaestinaandSouthern Syria.HistoryMain article:History of IsraelPrehistoryFurther information:Prehistory of the LevantThe oldest evidence ofearly humansin the territory of modern Israel, dating to 1.5 million years ago, was found inUbeidiyanear theSea of Galilee.[44]Other notablePaleolithicsites include cavesTabun,QesemandManot. The oldest fossils ofanatomically modern humansfoundoutside Africaare theSkhul and Qafzeh hominids, who lived in northern Israel 120,000 years ago.[45]Around 10th millennium BCE, theNatufian cultureexisted in the area.[46]AntiquityMain article:History of ancient Israel and JudahFurther information:Israelites,Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy),Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), andKingdom of JudahMapof the Kingdom of Israel, 1020 BCE–930 BCE as imagined from the Bible narrative[citation needed]The notion of the \"Land of Israel\", known inHebrewasEretz Yisrael, has been important and sacred to the Jewish people since Biblical times. According to theTorah, Godpromised the landto the threePatriarchsof the Jewish people.[47][48]On the basis of scripture, theperiod of the three Patriarchshas been placed somewhere in the early 2nd millenniumBCE.[49]The first record of the name Israel (asysrỉꜣr) occurs in theMerneptah Stele, erected for Egyptian PharaohMerneptahc. 1209 BCE, \"Israel is laid waste and his seed is not.\"[50]This \"Israel\" was a cultural and probably politicalentity of the central highlands, well enough established to be perceived by the Egyptians as a possible challenge totheir hegemony, but an ethnic group rather than an organised state.[51]The Merneptah Stele is one of four known contemporary inscriptions from antiquity containing the name of Israel, the others being theTel Dan Stele, theMesha Stele, and theKurkh Monolith.[52]The name appears much earlier,as a personal name, in material fromEbla.[53][54][55]Modern scholars see Israel arising peacefully and internally from existing people in the highlands ofCanaan.[56]McNutt says, \"It is probably safe to assume that sometime duringIron Age Ia population began to identify itself as \'Israelite\'\", differentiating itself from the Canaanites through such markers as the prohibition of intermarriage, an emphasis on family history and genealogy, and religion.[57]Ancestors of the Israelites may have includedSemitesnative to Canaan and theSea Peoples.[58]The archaeological evidence indicates a society of village-like centres, but with more limited resources and a small population.[59]Villages had populations of up to 300 or 400,[60][61]which lived by farming and herding, and were largely self-sufficient;[62]economic interchange was prevalent.[63]Writing was known and available for recording, even in small sites.[64]The firstKingdom of Israelwas established around the 11th century BCE. SubsequentIsraelite kingdoms and statesruled intermittently over the next four hundred years, and are known from various extra-biblical sources.[65][66][67][68]TheLarge Stone Structure, archaeological site of ancientJerusalemAround 930 BCE, the kingdom split into a southernKingdom of Judahand a northernKingdom of Israel. From the middle of the 8th century BCE Israel came into increasing conflict with the expandingNeo-Assyrian Empire. UnderTiglath-Pileser IIIit first split Israel\'s territory into several smaller units and then destroyed its capital,Samaria(722 BCE). An Israelite revolt (724–722 BCE) was crushed after the siege and capture ofSamariaby the Assyrian kingSargon II. Sargon\'s son,Sennacherib, tried and failed to conquer Judah.Assyrian recordssay he leveled 46 walled cities andbesieged Jerusalem, leaving after receiving extensive tribute.[69]In 586 BCE, KingNebuchadnezzar IIofBabylonconqueredJudah. According to the Hebrew Bible, hedestroyedSolomon\'s Templeandexiledthe Jews to Babylon. The defeat was also recorded in theBabylonian Chronicles.[70][71]In 538 BCE,Cyrus the GreatofPersiaconquered Babylon and took over its empire. Cyrus issued a proclamation granting subjugated nations, including the people of Judah, religious freedom (for the original text, which corroborates thebiblical narrativeonly in very broad terms, see theCyrus Cylinder). According to the Hebrew Bible, 50,000 Judeans, led byZerubbabel,returnedto Judah andrebuilt the temple. A second group of 5,000, led byEzraandNehemiah, returned to Judah in 456 BCE although non-Jews wrote to Cyrus to try to prevent their return.Classical periodMain article:Second Temple periodFurther information:Hasmonean dynasty,Herodian dynasty, andJewish–Roman warsPortion of theTemple Scroll, one of theDead Sea Scrollswritten during the Second Temple periodWith successivePersian rule, the autonomous provinceYehud Medinatawas gradually developing back into urban society, largely dominated by Judeans. TheGreekconquests largely skipped the region without any resistance or interest. Incorporated intoPtolemaicand finallySeleucidempires, the southern Levant was heavilyhellenized, building the tensions between Judeans and Greeks. The conflict erupted in 167 BCE with theMaccabean Revolt, which succeeded in establishing an independentHasmonean Kingdomin Judah, which later expanded over much of modern Israel, as the Seleucids gradually lost control in the region.Masadafortress, location of thefinal battlein theFirst Jewish–Roman WarTheRoman Empireinvaded the region in 63 BCE, first taking control ofSyria, and then intervening in theHasmonean Civil War. Thestrugglebetween pro-Roman and pro-Parthian factions in Judea eventually led to the installation ofHerod the Greatand consolidation of theHerodian kingdomas a vassal Judean state of Rome. With the decline of theHerodian dynasty, Judea, transformed into aRoman province, became the site of a violent struggle ofJewsagainst Greco-Romans, culminating in theJewish–Roman wars, ending in wide-scale destruction, expulsions, and genocide. Jewish presence in the region significantly dwindled after the failure of theBar Kokhba revoltagainst the Roman Empire in 132 CE.[72]Nevertheless, there was a continuous small Jewish presence andGalileebecame its religious center.[73][74]TheMishnahand part of theTalmud, central Jewish texts, were composed during the 2nd to 4th centuries CE inTiberiasandJerusalem.[75]The region came to be populated predominantly by Greco-Romans on the coast andSamaritansin the hill-country.Christianitywas gradually evolving over Roman paganism, when the area stood underByzantine rule. Through the 5th and 6th centuries, the dramatic events of the repeatedSamaritan revoltsreshaped the land, with massive destruction to Byzantine Christian and Samaritan societies and a resulting decrease of the population. After thePersian conquestand the installation of a short-livedJewish Commonwealthin 614 CE, the Byzantine Empirereconqueredthe country in 628.Middle Ages and modern historyFurther information:History of Jerusalem during the Middle Ages,Muslim history in Palestine, andOld YishuvKfar Bar\'am, an ancient Jewish village, abandoned some time between the 7th–13th centuries AD.[76]In 634–641 CE, the region, including Jerusalem, wasconqueredby theArabswho had just recently adoptedIslam. Control of the region transferred between theRashidunCaliphs,Umayyads,Abbasids, Fatimids, Seljuks,Crusaders, and Ayyuoffers throughout the next three centuries.[77]During thesiege of Jerusalemby theFirst Crusadein 1099, the Jewish inhabitants of the city fought side by side with the Fatimid garrison and the Muslim population who tried in vain to defend the city against theCrusaders. When the city fell, about 60,000 people were massacred, including 6,000 Jews seeking refuge in a synagogue.[78]At this time, a full thousand years after the fall of the Jewish state, there were Jewish communities all over the country. Fifty of them are known and include andGaza.[79]According toAlbert of Aachen, the Jewish residents ofHaifawere the main fighting force of the city, and \"mixed with Saracen [Fatimid] troops\", they fought bravely for close to a month until forced into retreat by the Crusader fleet and land army.[80][81]However,Joshua Prawerexpressed doubt over the story, noting that Albert did not attend the Crusades and that such a prominent role for the Jews is not mentioned by any other source.[82][undue weight?–discuss]The 15th-centuryAbuhav synagogue, established by Sephardic Jews in Safed, Northern Israel.[83]In 1165,Maimonidesvisited Jerusalem and prayed on theTemple Mount, in the \"great, holy house.\"[84]In 1141 the Spanish-Jewish poetYehuda Haleviissued a call for Jews to migrate to the Land of Israel, a journey he undertook himself. In 1187 SultanSaladin, founder of theAyyuoffer dynasty, defeated the Crusaders in theBattle of Hattinand subsequently captured Jerusalem and almost all of Palestine. In time, Saladin issued a proclamation inviting Jews to return and settle in Jerusalem,[85]and according toJudah al-Harizi, they did: \"From the day the Arabs took Jerusalem, the Israelites inhabited it.\"[86]Al-Harizi compared Saladin\'s decree allowing Jews to re-establish themselves in Jerusalem to the one issued by the Persian kingCyrus the Greatover 1,600 years earlier.[87]In 1211, the Jewish community in the country was strengthened by the arrival of a group headed by over 300 rabbis from France and England,[88]among them RabbiSamson ben Abraham of Sens.[89]Nachmanides, the 13th-century Spanish rabbi and recognised leader of Jewry greatly praised the land of Israel and viewed its settlement as a positive commandment incumbent on all Jews. He wrote \"If the gentiles wish to make peace, we shall make peace and leave them on clear terms; but as for the land, we shall not leave it in their hands, nor in the hands of any nation, not in any generation.\"[90]In 1260, control passed to theMamluk sultans of Egypt.[91]The country was located between the two centres of Mamluk power,CairoandDamascus, and only saw some development along the postal road connecting the two cities. Jerusalem, although left without the protection of anycity wallssince 1219, also saw a flurry of new construction projects centred around theAl-Aqsa Mosquecompound on the Temple Mount. In 1266 the Mamluk SultanBaybarsconverted theCave of the PatriarchsinHebroninto an exclusive Islamic sanctuary and banned Christians and Jews from entering, which previously would be able to enter it for a fee. The ban remained in place until Israel took control of the building in 1967.[92][93]Jews at theWestern Wall, 1870sIn 1470, Isaac b. Meir Latif arrived from Italy and counted 150 Jewish families in Jerusalem.[94]Thanks toJoseph Saragossiwho had arrived in the closing years of the 15th century,Safedand its environs had developed into the largest concentration of Jews in Palestine. With the help of theSephardicimmigration from Spain, the Jewish population had increased to 10,000 by the early 16th century.[95]In 1516, the region was conquered by theOttoman Empire; it remained underTurkish ruleuntil the end of theFirst World War, when Britain defeated the Ottoman forces and set up amilitary administrationacross the former Ottoman Syria. In 1920 the territory was divided between Britain and France under themandate system, and the British-administered area which included modern day Israel was namedMandatory Palestine.[91][96][97]Zionism and British mandateFurther information:Zionism,Yishuv,Mandatory Palestine, andBalfour DeclarationTheodor Herzl, visionary of the Jewish stateSince the existence of the earliestJewish diaspora, many Jews have aspired to return to \"Zion\" and the \"Land of Israel\",[98]though the amount of effort that should be spent towards such an aim was a matter of dispute.[99][100]The hopes and yearnings of Jews living in exile are an important theme of the Jewish belief system.[99]After the Jews wereexpelled from Spainin 1492, some communities settled in Palestine.[101]During the 16th century, Jewish communities struck roots in theFour Holy Cities—Jerusalem,Tiberias,Hebron, andSafed—and in 1697, Rabbi Yehuda Hachasid led a group of 1,500 Jews to Jerusalem.[102]In the second half of the 18th century, Eastern EuropeanopponentsofHasidism, known as thePerushim, settled in Palestine.[103][104][105]\"Therefore I believe that a wonderous generation of Jews will spring into existence. The Maccabaeans will rise again. Let me repeat once more my opening words: The Jews wish to have a State, and they shall have one. We shall live at last as free men on our own soil, and die peacefully in our own home. The world will be freed by our liberty, enriched by our wealth, magnified by our greatness. And whatever we attempt there to accomplish for our own welfare will react with beneficent force for the good of humanity.\"Theodor Herzl (1896).A Jewish State.Wikisource.[scan]The first wave of modern Jewish migration toOttoman-ruled Palestine, known as theFirst Aliyah, began in 1881, as Jews fledpogromsin Eastern Europe.[106]Although the Zionist movement already existed in Herzlis credited with founding politicalZionism,[107]a movement which sought to establish a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, thus offering a solution to the so-calledJewish questionof the European states, in conformity with the goals and achievements of other national projects of the time.[108]In 1896, Herzl publishedDer Judenstaat(The Jewish State), offering his vision of a future Jewish state; the following year he presided over theFirst Zionist Congress.[109]TheSecond Aliyah(1904–14), began after theKishinev pogrom; some 40,000 Jews settled in Palestine, although nearly half of them left eventually.[106]Both the first and second waves of migrants were mainlyOrthodox Jews,[110]although the Second Aliyah includedsocialistgroups who established thekibbutzmovement.[111]During World War I, British Foreign SecretaryArthur Balfoursent theBalfour Declaration of 1917toBaron Rothschild(Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild), a leader of the British Jewish community, that stated that Britain intended for the creation of a Jewish \"national home\" within the Palestinian Mandate.[112][113]In 1918, theJewish Legion, a group primarily of Zionist volunteers, assisted in the Britishconquest of Palestine.[114]Arab opposition to British rule and Jewish immigration led to the1920 Palestine riotsand the formation of a Jewish militia known as theHaganah(meaning \"The Defense\" in Hebrew), from which theIrgunandLehi, or the Stern Gang, paramilitary groups later split off.[115]In 1922, theLeague of Nationsgranted Britain amandate over Palestineunder terms which included the Balfour Declaration with its promise to the Jews, and with similar provisions regarding the Arab Palestinians.[116]Thepopulation of the areaat this time was predominantly Arab and Muslim, with Jews accounting for about 11%,[117]and Arab Christians at about 9.5% of the population.[118]TheThird(1919–23) andFourth Aliyahs(1924–29) brought an additional 100,000 Jews to Palestine.[106]Therise of Nazismand the increasing persecution of Jews in 1930s Europe led to theFifth Aliyah, with an influx of a quarter of a million Jews. This was a major cause of theArab revolt of 1936–39during which the British Mandate authorities alongside the Zionist militias of Haganah and Irgun killed 5,032 Arabs and wounded 14,760,[119][120]resulting in over ten percent of the adult malePalestinian Arabpopulation killed, wounded, imprisoned or exiled.[121]The British introduced restrictions on Jewish immigration to Palestine with theWhite Paper of 1939. With countries around the world turning awayJewish refugeesfleeingthe Holocaust, a clandestine movement known asAliyah Betwas organized to bring Jews to Palestine.[106]By the end ofWorld War II, the Jewish population of Palestine had increased to 33% of the total population.[122]After World War IIFurther information:Intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine,United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, andIsraeli Declaration of IndependenceAfter World War II, Britain found itself in intenseconflictwith the Jewish community over Jewish immigration limits, as well as continued conflict with the Arab community over limit levels. TheHaganahjoinedIrgunandLehiin an armed struggle against British rule.[123]At the same time, hundreds of thousands of JewishHolocaust survivorsand refugees sought a new life far from their destroyed communities in Europe. TheYishuvattempted to bring these refugees to Palestine but many were turned away or rounded up and placed in detention camps inAtlitandCyprusby the British.UNMap, \"Palestine plan of partition with economic union\"On 22 July 1946, Irgunattackedthe British administrative headquarters for Palestine, which was housed in the southern wing[124]of theKing David HotelinJerusalem.[125][126][127]A total of 91 people of various nationalities were killed and 46 were injured.[128]The hotel was the site of the Secretariat of the Government of Palestine and the Headquarters of the British Armed Forces inPalestineandTransjordan.[128][129]The attack initially had the approval of the Haganah. It was conceived as a response toOperation Agatha(a series of widespread raids, including one on theJewish Agency, conducted by the British authorities) and was the deadliest directed at the British during the Mandate era.[128][129]It was characterized as one of the \"most lethal terrorist incidents of the twentieth century.\"[130]In 1947, the British government announced it would withdraw from Palestine, stating it was unable to arrive at a solution acceptable to both Arabs and Jews.On 15 May 1947, theGeneral Assemblyof the newly formedUnited Nationsresolved that theUnited Nations Special Committee on Palestinebe created \"to prepare for consideration at the next regular session of the Assembly a report on the question of Palestine.\"[131]In the Report of the Committee dated 3 September 1947 to the General Assembly,[132]the majority of the Committee in Chapter VI proposed a plan to replace the British Mandate with \"an independent Arab State, an independent Jewish State, and the City of Jerusalem ... the last to be under an International Trusteeship System.\"[133]On 29 November 1947, the General Assembly adoptedResolution 181 (II)recommending the adoption and implementation of thePlan of Partition with Economic Union.[13]The plan attached to the resolution was essentially that proposed by the majority of the Committee in the report of 3 September. TheJewish Agency, which was the recognized representative of the Jewish community, accepted the plan.[14]TheArab LeagueandArab Higher Committeeof Palestine rejected it, and indicated that they would reject any other plan of partition.[15][134]On the following day, 1 December 1947, the Arab Higher Committee proclaimed a three-day strike, and Arab gangs began attacking Jewish targets.[135]The Jews were initially on the defensive ascivil warbroke out, but in early April 1948 moved onto the offensive.[136][137]The Arab Palestinian economy collapsed and 250,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled.[138]David Ben-Gurionproclaiming theIsraeli Declaration of Independenceon 14 May 1948On 14 May 1948, the day before the expiration of the British Mandate,David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency,declared\"the establishment of a Jewish state inEretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.\"[16][139]The only reference in the text of the Declaration to the borders of the new state is the use of the termEretz-Israel(\"Land of Israel\").[140]The following day, the armies of four Arab what had been British Mandatory Palestine, launching the1948 Arab–Israeli War;[141][142]contingents from Yemen, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Sudan joined the war.[143][144]The apparent purpose of the invasion was to prevent the establishment of the Jewish state at inception, and some Arab leaders talked about driving the Jews into the sea.[145][146][147]According toBenny Morris, Jews felt that the invading Arab armies aimed to slaughter the Jews.[148]The Arab league stated that the invasion was to restore law and order and to prevent further bloodshed.[149]Raising of theInk Flag, marking the end of the1948 Arab–Israeli WarAfter a year of fighting, aceasefire was declaredand temporary borders, known as theGreen Line, were established.[150]Jordanannexedwhat became known as theWest Bank, includingEast Jerusalem, and Egypttook controlof theGaza Strip. The United Nations estimated that more than 700,000 Palestinians wereexpelled by or fled fromadvancingIsraeli forcesduring the conflict—what would become known in Arabic as theNakba(\"catastrophe\").[151]Early years of the State of IsraelFurther information:Arab–Israeli conflictIsraelwas admittedas a member of the United Nations by majority vote on 11 May 1949.[152]Both Israel and Jordan were genuinely interested in a peace agreement but the British acted as a brake on the Jordanian effort in order to avoid damaging British interests in Egypt.[153]In the early years of the state, theLabor Zionistmovement led by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion dominatedIsraeli politics.[154][155]TheKibbutzim, or collective farming communities, played a pivotal role in establishing the new state.[156]Immigration to Israel during the late 1940s and early 1950s was aided by the Israeli Immigration Department and the non-government sponsoredMossad LeAliyah Bet(\"Institution for Illegal Immigration\"[157]). Both groups facilitated regular immigration logistics like arranging transportation, but the latter also engaged in clandestine operations in countries, particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, where the lives of Jews were believed to be in danger and exit from those places was difficult. Mossad LeAliyah Bet was disbanded in 1953.[158]The immigration was in accordance with theOne Million Plan. The immigrants came for differing reasons. Some believed in a Zionist ideology or did it for the promise of a better life in Israel, while others moved to escape persecution or were expelled.[159][160]Aninflux of Holocaust survivorsandJews from Arab and Muslim countriesto Israel during the first three years increased the number of Jews from 700,000 to 1,400,000.[161]By 1958, the population of Israel rose to two million.[161]Between 1948 and 1970, approximately 1,150,000 Jewish refugees relocated to Israel.[162]Some new immigrants arrived as refugees with no possessions and were housed in temporary camps known asma\'abarot; by 1952, over 200,000 people were living in these tent cities.[163]Jews of European backgroundwere often treated more favorably than Jews fromMiddle EasternandNorth Africancountries—housing units reserved for the latter were often re-designated for the former, with the result that Jews newly arrived from Arab lands generally ended up staying in transit camps for longer.[164]Tensions that developed between the two groups over such discrimination persist to the present day.[165]During this period, food, clothes and furniture had to be rationed in what became known as theausterity period. The need to solve the crisis led Ben-Gurion to sign areparations agreement with West Germanythat triggered mass protests by Jews angered at the idea that Israel could accept monetary compensation for the Holocaust.[166]U.S. newsreel on the trial ofAdolf EichmannDuring the 1950s, Israel was frequentlyattackedbyPalestinian fedayeen, nearly always against civilians,[167]mainly from the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip,[168]leading to several Israelicounter-raids. In 1956, Great Britain and France aimed at regaining control of theSuez Canal, which the Egyptians had nationalized. The continued blockade of the Suez Canal andStraits of Tiranto Israeli shipping, together with the growing amount of Fedayeen attacks against Israel\'s southern population, and recent Arab grave and threatening statements, prompted Israel to attack Egypt.[169][170][171][172]Israel joineda secret alliancewith Great Britain and France and overran theSinai Peninsulabut was pressured to withdraw by the United Nations in return for guarantees of Israeli shipping rights in theRed Seavia the Straits of Tiran and the Canal[citation needed].[173][174]The war, known as theSuez Crisis, resulted in significant reduction of Israeli border infiltration.[175][176][177][178]In the early 1960s, Israel captured Nazi war criminalAdolf Eichmannin Argentina and brought him to Israel for trial.[179]The trial had a major impact on public awareness of the Holocaust.[180]Eichmann remains the only person executed in Israel by conviction in anIsraeli civilian court.[181]Territory held by Israel:before theSix-Day Warafter the warTheSinai Peninsulawas returned to Egypt in 1982.Since 1964, Arab countries, concerned over Israeli plans to divert waters of theJordan Riverinto thecoastal plain,[182]had been trying to divert the headwaters to deprive Israel of water resources, provokingtensionsbetween Israel on the one hand, and Syria and Lebanon on the other.Arab nationalistsled by Egyptian PresidentGamal Abdel Nasserrefused to recognize Israel, and called for its destruction.[17][183][184]By 1966, Israeli-Arab relations had deteriorated to the point of actual battles taking place between Israeli and Arab forces.[185]In May 1967, Egypt massed its army near the border with Israel, expelledUN peacekeepers, stationed in the Sinai Peninsula since 1957, and blocked Israel\'s access to the Red Sea.[186][187][188]Other Arab states mobilized their forces.[189]Israel reiterated that these actions were acasus belliand, on 5 June, launched apre-emptive strikeagainst Egypt. Jordan, Syria and Iraq responded and attacked Israel. In aSix-Day War, Israel defeated Jordan and captured the West Bank, defeated Egypt and captured the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula, and defeated Syria and captured theGolan Heights.[190]Jerusalem\'s boundaries were enlarged, incorporatingEast Jerusalem, and the 1949Green Linebecame the administrative boundary between Israel and theoccupied territories.Following the 1967 war and the\"three nos\"resolution of the Arab League, during the 1967–1970War of AttritionIsrael faced attacks from the Egyptians in the Sinai, and from Palestinian groups targeting Israelis in the occupied territories, in Israel proper, and around the world. Most important among the various Palestinian and Arab groups was thePalestinian Liberation Organization(PLO), established in 1964, which initially committed itself to \"armed struggle as the only way to liberate the homeland\".[191][192]In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Palestinian groups launched awave of attacks[193][194]against Israeli and Jewish targets around the world,[195]includinga massacre of Israeli athletesat the1972 Summer Olympicsin Munich. The Israeli government responded with anassassination campaignagainst the organizers of the massacre, abombingand araid on the PLO headquarters in Lebanon.On 6 October 1973, as Jews were observingYom Kippur, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launcheda surprise attackagainst Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights, that opened theYom Kippur War. The war ended on 25 October with Israel successfully repelling Egyptian and Syrian forces but having suffered over 2,500 soldiers killed in a war which collectively took 10–35,000 lives in about 20 days.[196]Aninternal inquiryexoneratedthe governmentof responsibility for failures before and during the war, but public anger forced Prime MinisterGolda Meirto resign.[197]In July 1976 an airliner was hijacked during its flight from Israel to France by Palestinian guerrillas and landed atEntebbe, Uganda. Israeli commandos carried outan operationin which 102 out of 106 Israeli hostages were successfully rescued.Further conflict and peace processFurther information:Israeli–Palestinian peace processSee also:One-state solution,Two-state solution,Three-state solution, andLieberman PlanThe1977 Knesset electionsmarked a major turning point in Israeli political history asMenachem Begin\'sLikudparty took control from theLabor Party.[198]Later that year, Egyptian PresidentAnwar El Sadatmade a trip to Israel and spoke before theKnessetin what was the first recognition of Israel by an Arab head of state.[199]In the two years that followed, Sadat and Begin signed theCamp David Accords(1978) and theIsrael–Egypt Peace Treaty(1979).[200]In return, Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula and agreed to enter negotiations over an autonomy for Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.[201]On 11 March 1978, a PLO guerilla raid from Lebanon led to theCoastal Road massacre. Israel responded by launching aninvasion of southern Lebanonto destroy the PLO bases south of theLitani River. Most PLO fighters withdrew, but Israel was able to secure southern Lebanon until aUN forceand the Lebanese army could take over. The PLO soon resumed itspolicy of attacksagainst Israel. In the next few years, the PLO infiltrated the south and kept up a sporadic shelling across the border. Israel carried out numerous retaliatory attacks by air and on the ground.Israel\'s 1980lawdeclared that \"Jerusalem, complete and united, is the capital of Israel.\"[12]Meanwhile, Begin\'s government provided incentives for Israelis tosettlein the occupied West Bank, increasing friction with the Palestinians in that area.[202]TheBasic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel, passed in 1980, was believed by some to reaffirm Israel\'s 1967 annexation of Jerusalem by government decree, andreignited international controversyover thestatus of the city. No Israeli legislation has defined the territory of Israel and no act specifically included East Jerusalem therein.[203]The position of the majority of UN member states is reflected in numerous resolutions declaring that actions taken by Israel to settle its citizens in the West Bank, and impose its laws and administration on East Jerusalem, are illegal and have no validity.[204]In 1981 IsraelannexedtheGolan Heights, although annexation was not recognized internationally.[205]Israel\'s population diversity expanded in the 1980s and 1990s. Several waves ofEthiopian Jewsimmigratedto Israel since the 1980s, while between 1990 and 1994,immigration from the post-Soviet statesincreased Israel\'s population by twelve percent.[206]On 7 June 1981, the Israeli air forcedestroyedIraq\'s solenuclear reactorunder construction just outsideBaghdad, in order to impede Iraq\'s nuclear weapons program. Following a series of PLO attacks in 1982, IsraelinvadedLebanon that year to destroy the bases from which the PLO launched attacks and missiles into northern Israel.[207]In the first six days of fighting, the Israelis destroyed the military forces of the PLO in Lebanon and decisively defeated the Syrians. An Israeli government inquiry—theKahan Commission—would later hold Begin, Sharon and several Israeli generals as indirectly responsible for theSabra and Shatila massacre. In 1985, Israel responded to a Palestinian terrorist attack inCyprusbybombingthe PLO headquarters in Tunisia. Israel withdrew from most of Lebanon in 1986, but maintained aborderland buffer zonein southern Lebanon until 2000, from where Israeli forcesengaged in conflictwithHezbollah. TheFirst Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule,[208]broke out in 1987, with waves of uncoordinated demonstrations and violence occurring in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Over the following six years, the Intifada became more organised and included economic and cultural measures aimed at disrupting the Israeli occupation. More than a thousand people were killed in the violence.[209]During the 1991Gulf War, the PLO supportedSaddam Husseinand Iraqi Scud missileattacks against Israel. Despite public outrage, Israel heededAmericancalls to refrain from hitting back and did not participate in that war.[210][211]Shimon Peres(left) withYitzhak Rabin(center) andKing Hussein of Jordan(right), prior to signing theIsrael–Jordan peace treaty1994.In 1992,Yitzhak Rabinbecame Prime Minister followingan electionin which his party called for compromise with Israel\'s neighbors.[212][213]The following year,Shimon Pereson behalf of Israel, andMahmoud Abbasfor the PLO, signed theOslo Accords, which gave thePalestinian National Authoritythe right to govern parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.[214]The PLO alsorecognizedIsrael\'s right to exist and pledged an end to terrorism.[215]In 1994, theIsrael–Jordan peace treatywas signed, making Jordan the second Arab country to normalize relations with Israel.[216]Arab public support for the Accords was damaged by the continuation of Israeli settlements[217]andcheckpoints, and the deterioration of economic conditions.[218]Israeli public support for the Accords waned as Israel was struck byPalestinian suicide attacks.[219]In November 1995, while leaving a peace rally, Yitzhak Rabinwas assassinatedbyYigal Amir, a far-right-wing Jew who opposed the Accords.[220]The site of the 2001 Tel AvivDolphinarium discotheque massacre, in which 21 Israelis were killed.Under the leadership ofBenjamin Netanyahuat the end of the 1990s, IsraelwithdrewfromHebron,[221]and signed theWye River Memorandum, giving greater control to the Palestinian National Authority.[222]Ehud Barak,electedPrime Minister in 1999, began the new millennium by withdrawing forces from Southern Lebanon and conducting negotiations with Palestinian Authority ChairmanYasser Arafatand U.S. PresidentBill Clintonat the2000 Camp David Summit. During the summit, Barak offered a plan for the establishment of aPalestinian state. The proposed state included the entirety of the Gaza Strip and over 90% of the West Bank with Jerusalem as a shared capital.[223]Each side blamed the other for the failure of the talks. After a controversial visit by Likud leaderAriel Sharonto theTemple Mount, theSecond Intifadabegan. Some commentators contend that the uprising was pre-planned by Arafat due to the collapse of peace talks.[224][225][226][227]Sharon became prime minister in a2001 special election. During his tenure, Sharon carried out his plan tounilaterally withdrawfrom the Gaza Strip and also spearheaded the construction of theIsraeli West Bank barrier,[228]ending the Intifada.[229][230]By this time 1,100 Israelis had been killed, mostly in suicide bombings.[231]The Palestinian fatalities, from 2000 to 2008, reached 4,791 killed by Israeli security forces, 44 killed by Israeli civilians, and 609 killed by Palestinians.[232]In July 2006, a Hezbollah artillery assault on Israel\'s northern border communities and across-border abductionof two Israeli soldiers precipitated the month-longSecond Lebanon War.[233][234]On 6 September 2007, the Israeli Air Forcedestroyeda nuclear reactor in Syria. At the end of 2008, Israel entered another conflict asa ceasefirebetweenHamasand Israel collapsed. The2008–09 Gaza Warlasted three weeks and ended after Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire.[235][236]Hamas announced its own ceasefire, with its own conditions of complete withdrawal and opening ofborder crossings. Despite neither therocket launchingsnor Israeliretaliatory strikeshaving completely stopped, the fragile ceasefire remained in order.[237]In what Israel described as a response tomore than a hundred Palestinian rocket attackson southern Israeli cities,[238]Israel began anoperationin Gaza on 14 November 2012, lasting eight days.[239]Israel started anotheroperationin Gaza following anescalation of rocket attacksby Hamas in July 2014.[240]Geography and EnvironmentMain articles:Geography of IsraelandWildlife of IsraelGeography of Sea(Mediterranean)KinneretDeadSeaGulfof imagesof Israel and neighboring territories during the day (left) and night (right)Israel is located in theLevantarea of theFertile Crescentregion. The country is at theEastern endof theMediterranean Sea, bounded by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank to the east, and Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the southwest. It lies between latitudes29°and34° N, and longitudes34°and36° E.The sovereign territory of Israel (according to the demarcation lines of the1949 Armistice Agreementsand excluding all territories captured by Israel during the 1967Six-Day War) is approximately 20,770 square kilometers (8,019sqmi) in area, of which twopercent is water.[2]However Israel is so narrow that theexclusive economic zonein the Mediterranean is double the land area of the country.[241]The total area under Israeli law, includingEast Jerusalemand theGolan Heights, is 22,072 square kilometers (8,522sqmi),[242]and the total area under Israeli control, including the military-controlled and partiallyPalestinian-governedterritory of theWest Bank, is 27,799 square kilometers (10,733sqmi).[243]Despite its small size, Israel is home to a variety of geographic features, from theNegevdesert in the south to the inland fertileJezreel Valley, mountain ranges of theGalilee,Carmeland toward theGolanin the north. TheIsraeli coastal plainon the shores of the Mediterranean is home to most of the nation\'s population.[244]East of the central highlands lies theJordan Rift Valley, which forms a small part of the 6,500-kilometer (4,039mi)Great Rift Valley. TheJordan Riverruns along the Jordan Rift Valley, fromMount Hermonthrough theHulah Valleyand theSea of Galileeto theDead Sea, thelowest pointon the surface of the Earth.[245]Further south is theArabah, ending with theGulf of Eilat, part of theRed Sea. Unique to Israel and theSinai Peninsulaaremakhteshim, or erosion cirques.[246]The largest makhtesh in the world isRamon Craterin the Negev,[247]which measures 40 by 8 kilometers (25 by 5mi).[248]A report on the Environmental status of theMediterranean Basinstates that Israel has the largest number of plant species per square meter of all the countries in the basin.[249]Tectonics and seismicityFurther information:List of earthquakes in the LevantTheJordan Rift Valleyis the result of tectonic movements within theDead Sea Transform(DSF) fault system. The DSF forms thetransform boundarybetween theAfrican Plateto the west and theArabian Plateto the east. The Golan Heights and all of Jordan are part of the Arabian Plate, while the Galilee, West Bank, Coastal Plain, and Negev along with the Sinai Peninsula are on the African Plate. This tectonic disposition leads to a relatively highseismic activity in the region. The entire Jordan Valley segment is thought to have ruptured repeatedly, for instance during the last two majorearthquakesalong this structure in749and 1033. The deficit inslipthat has built up since the 1033 event is sufficient to cause an earthquake ofMw~7.4.[250]The most catastrophic earthquakes we know of occurred in 31 BCE,363, 749, and 1033 CE, that is every ca. 400 years on average.[251]Destructive earthquakes leading to serious loss of life strike about every 80 years.[252]While stringent construction regulations are currently in place and recently built structures are earthquake-safe, as of 2007the majority of the buildings in Israel were older than these regulations and many public buildings as well as 50,000 residential buildings did not meet the new standards and were \"expected to collapse\" if exposed to a strong quake.[252]Given the fragile political situation of the Middle East region and the presence there of major holy sites, a quake reaching magnitude 7 on the Richter scale could have dire consequences for world peace.[251]ClimateKöppen climate classificationmap of IsraelTemperatures in Israel vary widely, especially during the winter. Coastal areas, such as those ofTel AvivandHaifa, have a typicalMediterranean climatewith cool, rainy winters and long, hot summers. The area ofBeershebaand the Northern Negev has asemi-arid climatewith hot summers, cool winters and fewer rainy days than the Mediterranean climate. The Southern Negev and the Arava areas havedesert climatewith very hot and dry summers, and mild winters with few days of rain. The highest temperature in the continent of Asia (54.0°C or 129.2°F) was recorded in 1942 atTirat Zvikibbutz in the northern Jordan river valley.[253][254]At the other extreme mountainous regions can be windy, cold, and areas at elevation of 750 meters or more (same elevation as Jerusalem) will usually receive at least one snowfall each year.[255]From May to September, rain in Israel is rare.[256][257]With scarce water resources, Israel has developed various water-saving technologies, includingdrip irrigation.[258]Israelis also take advantage of the considerable sunlight available forsolar energy, makingIsrael the leading nation in solar energyuse per capita (practically every house uses solar panels for water heating).[259]Four differentphytogeographicregions exist in Israel, due to the country\'s location between the temperate and the tropical zones, bordering the Mediterranean Sea in the west and the desert in the east. For this reason the flora and fauna of Israel is extremely diverse. There are 2,867 knownspecies of plants found in Israel. Of these, at least 253 species areintroducedand non-native.[260]There are 380Israeli nature reserves.[261]Tiberiasand theSea of GalileeField ofAnemone coronaria,national flower of IsraelMakhtesh Ramon, a type of crater unique to Israel and the Sinai PeninsulaSnow inGalileeFlowers of IsraelDemographicsMain articles:Demographics of IsraelandIsraelisReligion in IsraelvteNote:Until 1995, figures for Christians also included Others.[262]In 2017, Israel\'s population was an estimated 8,643,600people, of whom 6,459,700 (74.8%) were recorded by the civil government asJews. 1,799,400Arabscomprised 20.8% of the population, while non-Arab Christians and people who have no religion listed in the civil registry made up 4.4%.[263][1]Over the last decade, large numbers of migrant workers from Romania, Thailand, China, Africa, and South America have settled in Israel. Exact figures are unknown, as many of them are living in the country illegally,[264]but estimates run in the region of 203,000.[24]By June 2012, approximately 60,000African migrantshad entered Israel.[265]About 92% of Israelis live in urban areas.[266]Immigration to Israel in the years 1948–2015. The two peaks were in 1949 and 1990.Israel was established as ahomeland for the Jewish peopleand is often referred to as aJewish state. The country\'sLaw of Returngrants all Jews and those of Jewish ancestry the right toIsraeli citizenship.[267]Retention of Israel\'s population since 1948 is about even or greater, when compared to other countries with mass immigration.[268]Jewish emigration from Israel (calledyeridain Hebrew), primarily to the United States and Canada, is described by demographers as modest,[269]but is often cited by Israeli government ministries as a major threat to Israel\'s future.[270][271]Three quarters, or 74.8%, of the population are Jews from adiversity of Jewish backgrounds. Approximately 76% ofIsraeli Jewsareborn in Israel, 16% are immigrants from Europe and the Americas, and 8% are immigrants from Asia and Africa (including theArab world).[272]Jews from Europe and the former Soviet Union and their descendants born in Israel, includingAshkenazi Jews, constitute approximately 50% of Jewish Israelis.Jews who left or fled Arab and Muslim countriesand their descendants, including bothMizrahiandSephardiJews,[273]form most of the rest of the Jewish population.[274][275][276]Jewish intermarriage rates run at over 35% and recent studies suggest that the percentage of Israelis descended from both Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews increases by 0.5 percent every year, with over 25% of school children now originating from both communities.[277]Around 4% of Israelis (300,000), ethnically defined as \"others\", areRussian descendantsof Jewish origin or family who are not Jewish according to rabbinical law, but were eligible for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return.[278][279][280]In 2015, 385,900 IsraelislivedinWest Banksettlements,[281]including those that predated the establishment of the State of Israel and which were re-established after theSix-Day War, in cities such asHebronandGush Etzionbloc. In addition, there were more than 200,000 Jews living inEast Jerusalem,[282]and 20,000 in theGolan Heights.[281]The total number of Israeli settlers is over 600,000 (≈10% of the Jewish Israeli population). Approximately 7,800 Israelislived in settlementsin the Gaza Strip, known asGush Katif, until they were evacuated by the government as part of its 2005disengagement plan.[283]Major urban areasPark Tzameretresidential neighborhood under construction in Tel Aviv.For a more comprehensive list, seeList of cities in Israel.There are four major metropolitan areas:Gush Dan(Tel Aviv metropolitan area; population 3,785,000),Jerusalem metropolitan area(population 1,223,800),Haifa metropolitan area(population 913,700), andBeersheba metropolitan area(population 369,200).[284]Israel\'s largestmunicipality, in population and area, isJerusalemwith 865,721 residents in an area of 125 square kilometres (48sqmi).[285]Israeli government statistics on Jerusalem include the population and area ofEast Jerusalem, which is widely recognized as part of thePalestinian territoriesunderIsraeli occupation.[286]Tel AvivandHaifarank as Israel\'s next most populouscities, with populations of 432,892 and 278,903, respectively.Israel has 14 cities with populations over 100,000.[287]In all, there are 76 Israeli municipalities granted \"city\" status by the Ministry of the Interior. Two more cities are planned:Kasif, aplanned cityto be built in theNegev, andHarish, originally a small town currently being built into a large city.[285]vteLargest cities in IsraelIsrael Central Bureau of Statistics[285]Rank Name District Pop. Rank Name District Pop. JerusalemTel Aviv 1 Jerusalem Jerusalem 865,721a 11 Ramat Gan Tel Aviv 152,596 HaifaRishon LeZion2 Tel Aviv Tel Aviv 432,892 12 Rehovot Central 132,6713 Haifa Haifa 278,903 13 Ashkelon Southern 130,6604 Rishon LeZion Central 243,973 14 Bat Yam Tel Aviv 128,8925 Petah Tikva Central 230,984 15 Beit Shemesh Jerusalem 103,9226 Ashdod Southern 220,174 16 Kfar Saba Central 96,9227 Netanya Central 207,946 17 Herzliya Tel Aviv 91,9268 Beersheba Southern 203,604 18 Hadera Haifa 88,7839 Holon Tel Aviv 188,834 19 Modi\'in-Maccabim-Re\'ut Central 88,74910 Bnei Brak Tel Aviv 182,799 20 Nazareth Northern 75,726^aThis number includesEast JerusalemandWest Bankareas. Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem isinternationally unrecognized.LanguageMain article:Languages of IsraelRoad signinHebrew,Arabic, andEnglishIsrael has two official languages,HebrewandArabic.[2]Hebrew is the primary language of the state and is spoken every day by the majority of the population. Arabic is spoken by the Arab minority, with Hebrew taught in Arab schools.As a country ofimmigrants, many languages can be heard on the streets. Due to mass immigration from the formerSoviet UnionandEthiopia(some 130,000Ethiopian Jews live in Israel),[288][289]RussianandAmharicare widely spoken.[290]More than one million Russian-speaking immigrantsarrivedin Israel from the post-Soviet states between 1990 and 2004.[291]Frenchis spoken by around 700,000 Israelis,[292]mostly originatingfrom Franceand North Africa (seeMaghrebi Jews).Englishwas an official language during the Mandate period; it lost this status after the establishment of Israel, but retains a role comparable to that of an official language,[293][294][295]as may be seen inroad signsand official documents. Many Israelis communicate reasonably well in English, as many television programs are broadcast in English withsubtitlesand the language is taught from the early grades in elementary school. In addition, Israeli universities offer courses in the English language on various subjects.[296]ReligionMain articles:Religion in IsraelandAbrahamic religionsTheDome of the Rockand theWestern Wall, Jerusalem.Israel comprises a major part of theHoly Land, a region of significant importance to allAbrahamic Faith.Thereligious affiliationofIsraeli Jewsvaries widely: a social survey indicates that 49% self-identify asHiloni(secular), 29% asMasorti(traditional), 13% asDati(Orthodox) and 9% asHaredi(ultra-Orthodox).[297]Haredi Jews are expected to represent more than 20% of Israel\'s Jewish population by 2028.[298]9thStation of the Crosson theVia Dolorosastreet in Jerusalem. TheChurch of the Holy Sepulchrein the background is venerated by Christians as the site of theBurial of Jesus.[299]Making up 17.6% of the population,Muslimsconstitute Israel\'s largest religious minority. About 2% of the population isChristianand 1.6% isDruze.[2]The Christian population primarily comprisesArab Christians, but also includes post-Soviet immigrants, the foreign laborers of multinational origins, and followers ofMessianic Judaism, considered by most Christians and Jews to be a form of Christianity.[300]Members of many other religious groups, includingBuddhistsandHindus, maintain a presence in Israel, albeit in small numbers.[301]Out of more than one millionimmigrantsfrom the former Soviet Union, about 300,000 are considered not Jewish by theChief Rabbinate of Israel.[302]The city ofJerusalemis ofspecial importanceto Jews, Muslims and Christians as it is the home ofsitesthat are pivotal to their religious beliefs, such as theOld Citythat incorporates theWestern Walland theTemple Mount, theAl-Aqsa Mosqueand theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre.[303]Other locations of religious importance in Israel areNazareth(holy in Christianity as the site of of theFour Holy Citiesin Judaism), theWhite MosqueinRamla(holy in Islam as the shrine of the prophetSaleh), and theChurch of Saint GeorgeinLod(holy in Christianity and Islam as the tomb ofSaint GeorgeorAl Khidr). A number of other religious landmarks are located in theWest Bank, among themJoseph\'s TombinNablus, thebirthplace of JesusandRachel\'s TombinBethlehem, and theCave of the PatriarchsinHebron. Theadministrative centerof theBahá\'í Faithand theShrine of the Bábare located at theBahá\'í World CentreinHaifa; the leader of the faith isburiedinAcre. Apart from maintenance staff, there is no Bahá\'í community in Israel, although it is a destination forpilgrimages. Bahá\'í staff in Israel do not teach their faith to Israelis following strict policy.[304][305][306]A few miles south of the Bahá\'í World Centre isMahmood Mosqueaffiliated with the reformistAhmadiyyamovement.Kababir, Haifa\'s mixed neighbourhood of Jews and Ahmadi Arabs is the only one of its kind in the country.[307][308]EducationMain article:Education in IsraelMultidisciplinary Brain Research CenteratBar-Ilan UniversityEducation is highly valued in the Israeli culture and was viewed as afundamental block of ancient Israelites.[309]Jewish communities in the Levant were the first to introducecompulsory educationfor which the organized community, not less than the parents, was responsible.[310]Many international business leaders and organizations such as Microsoft founderBill Gateshave praised Israel for its high quality of education in helping spur Israel\'s economic development and technological boom.[311][312][313]In 2015, the countryrankedthird amongOECDmembers (after Canada and Japan) for the percentage of 25–64 year-olds that have attainedtertiary educationwith 49% compared with the OECD average of 35%.[30]In 2012, the country ranked third in the world in the number of academic degrees per capita (20 percent of the population).[314][315]Israel has aschool life expectancyof 16 years and aliteracy rateof 97.8%.[2]The State Education Law, passed in 1953, established five types of schools: state secular, state religious, ultra orthodox, communal settlement schools, and Arab schools. The public secular is the largest school group, and is attended by the majority of Jewish and non-Arab pupils in Israel. Most Arabs send their children to schools where Arabic is the language of instruction.[316]Education is compulsory in Israel for children between the ages of three and eighteen.[317][318]Schooling is divided into three tiers– primary school (grades 1–6),middle school(grades 7–9), and high school (grades 10–12)– culminating withBagrutmatriculation exams. Proficiency in core subjects such as mathematics, theHebrew language, Hebrew and general literature, theEnglish language, history, Biblical scripture and civics is necessary to receive a Bagrut certificate.[319]In Arab, Christian andDruzeschools, the exam on Biblical studies is replaced by an exam on Muslim, Christian or Druze heritage.[320]Maarivdescribed theChristian Arabssectors as \"the most successful in education system\",[321]since Christians fared the best in terms of education in comparison to any other religion in Israel.[322]Israeli children from Russian-speaking families have a higher bagrut pass rate at high-school level.[323]Although amongst immigrant children born in theFormer Soviet Union, the bagrut pass rate is highest amongst those families from European FSU states at 62.6%, and lower amongst those from Central Asian and Caucasian FSU states.[324]In 2014, 61.5% of all Israeli twelfth graders earned a matriculation certificate.[325]Hebrew University of JerusalemIsrael hasnine public universities that are subsidized by the state and 49 private colleges.[319][326][327]TheHebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel\'s second-oldest university after theTechnion,[328][329]houses theNational Library of Israel, the world\'s largest repository of Judaica and Hebraica.[330]The Technion and the Hebrew University consistently ranked among world\'s 100 top universities by the prestigiousARWUacademic ranking.[331]Other major universities in the country include theWeizmann Institute of Science,Tel Aviv University,Ben-Gurion University of the Negev,Bar-Ilan University, theUniversity of Haifaand theOpen University of Israel.Ariel University, in theWest Bank, is the newest university institution, upgraded from college status, and the first in over thirty years.PoliticsMain articles:Politics of IsraelandIsraeli system of governmentSee also:Criticism of the Israeli governmentTheKnessetchamber, home to the Israeli parliamentIsrael operates under aparliamentary systemas a democratic republic withuniversal suffrage.[2]A member of parliament supported by a parliamentary majority becomes theprime minister—usually this is the chair of the largest party. The prime minister is thehead of governmentand head of thecabinet.[332][333]Israel is governed by a 120-member parliament, known as theKnesset. Membership of the Knesset is based onproportional representationofpolitical parties,[334]with a 3.25% electoral threshold, which in practice has resulted in coalition governments. Parliamentaryelectionsare scheduled every four years, but unstable coalitions or ano-confidence voteby the Knesset can dissolve a government earlier. TheBasic Laws of Israelfunction as anuncodified constitution. In 2003, the Knesset began to draft an officialconstitutionbased on these laws.[2][335]Thepresident of Israelishead of state, with limited and largely ceremonial duties.[332]Israel has no official religion,[336][337][338]but the definition of the state as \"Jewish and democratic\" creates a strong connection with Judaism, as well as a conflict between state law and religious law. Interaction between the political parties keepsthe balancebetween state and religion largely as it existed during the British Mandate.[339]Legal systemMain articles:Judiciary of IsraelandIsraeli lawSupreme Court of Israel, Givat Ram, JerusalemIsrael has athree-tier court system. At the lowest level aremagistratecourts, situated in most cities across the country. Above them aredistrict courts, serving as bothappellatecourts andcourts of first instance; they are situated in five of Israel\'s sixdistricts. The third and highest tier is theSupreme Court, located in Jerusalem; it serves a dual role as the highest court of appeals and theHigh Court of Justice. In the latter role, the Supreme Court rules as a court of first instance, allowing individuals, both citizens and non-citizens, to petition against the decisions of state authorities.[340][341]Although Israel supports the goals of theInternational Criminal Court, it has not ratified theRome Statute, citing concerns about the ability of the court to remain free from political impartiality.[342]Israel\'s legal system combines three legal traditions:Englishcommon law,civil law, andJewish law.[2]It is based on the principle ofstare decisis(precedent) and is anadversarial system, where the parties in the suit bring evidence before the court. Court cases are decided by professional judges rather than juries.[340]Marriageand divorce are under the jurisdiction of the religious courts:Jewish,Muslim, Druze, and Christian. The election of judges is carried out by acommitteeof two Knesset members, three Supreme Court justices, twoIsraeli Barmembers and two ministers (one of which, Israel\'sjustice minister, is the committee\'s chairman). The committee\'s members of the Knesset aresecretly electedby the Knesset, and one of them is traditionally a member of the opposition, the committee\'s Supreme Court justices are chosen by tradition from all Supreme Court justices by seniority, the Israeli Bar members are elected by the bar, and the second minister is appointed by the Israeli cabinet. The current justice minister and committee\'s chairwoman isAyelet Shaked.[343][344][345]Administration of Israel\'s courts (both the \"General\" courts and theLabor Courts) is carried by the Administration of Courts, situated in Jerusalem. Both General and Labor courts are paperless courts: the storage of court files, as well as court decisions, are conducted electronically. Israel\'sBasic Law: Human Dignity and Libertyseeks to defendhuman rights and liberties in Israel.Administrative divisionsMain article:Districts of IsraelDistricts of IsraelNorthHaifaCenterTel AvivJudeaandSamariaJerusalemSouthvteThe State of Israel is divided into six main administrativedistricts, known asmehozot(מחוזות; andTel Avivdistricts, as well as theJudea and Samaria Areain theWest Bank. All of the Judea and Samaria Area and parts of the Jerusalem and Northern districts are not recognized internationally as part of Israel. Districts are further divided into fifteen sub-districts known asnafot(נפות; singular:nafa), which are themselves partitioned into fifty natural regions.[346]District Capital Largest city Population[281]Jews Arabs Total noteJerusalem Jerusalem 67% 32% 1,058,000 aNorth Nazareth Illit Nazareth 43% 54% 1,380,400 Haifa Haifa 68% 26% 981,300 Center Ramla Rishon LeZion 88% 8% 2,071,500 Tel Aviv Tel Aviv 93% 1% 1,368,800 South Beersheba Ashdod 73% 20% 1,217,500 Judea and Samaria Ariel Modi\'in Illit 98% 0% 385,900 b^aIncluding 201,170 Jews and 313,350 Arabs inEast Jerusalem, as of 2014.[282]^bIsraeli citizens only.Israeli-occupied territoriesMain article:Israeli-occupied territoriesMap of Israel showing the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan HeightsIn 1967, as a result of theSix-Day War, Israel captured andoccupiedtheWest Bank, includingEast Jerusalem, theGaza Stripand theGolan Heights. Israel also captured theSinai Peninsula, but returned it to Egypt as part of the 1979Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty.[347]Between 1982 and 2000, Israel occupied part ofsouthern Lebanon, in what was known as theSecurity Belt. Since Israel\'s capture of these territories,Israeli settlementsand military installations have been built within each of them, except Lebanon. Israel has applied civilian law to theGolan HeightsandEast Jerusalemand granted their inhabitants permanent residency status and the ability toapply for citizenship. The West Bank, outside of the Israeli settlements within the territory, has remained under direct military rule, and Palestinians in this area cannot become Israeli citizens. Israel withdrew its military forces and dismantled the Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip as part of itsdisengagement from Gazathough it continues to maintaincontrolof its airspace and waters.The UN Security Council has declared the annexation of the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem to be \"null and void\" and continues to view the territories as occupied.[348][349]TheInternational Court of Justice, principal judicial organ of the United Nations, asserted, in its2004 advisory opinionon the legality of the construction of theIsraeli West Bank barrier, that the lands captured by Israel in the Six-Day War, including East Jerusalem, are occupied territory.[350]Thestatusof East Jerusalem in any future peace settlement has at times been a difficult issue innegotiationsbetween Israeli governments and representatives of the Palestinians, as Israel views it as its sovereign territory, as well as part of its capital. Most negotiations relating to the territories have been on the basis ofUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 242, which emphasises \"the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war\", and calls on Israel to withdraw from occupied territories in return for normalization of relations with Arab states, a principle known as \"Land for peace\".[351][352][353]According to some observers,[weaselwords]Israel has engaged in systematic and widespread violations ofhuman rights in the occupied territories, including the occupation itself[354]andwar crimesagainst civilians.[355][356][357][358]The allegations include violations of international humanitarian law[359]by theUnited Nations Human Rights Council,[360]with local residents having \"limited ability to hold governing authorities accountable for such abuses\" by theU.S. State Department,[361]mass arbitrary arrests, torture, unlawful killings, systemic abuses and impunity byAmnesty Internationaland others[362][363][364][365][366][367]and a denial of the right toPalestinian detail?]In response to such allegations, Prime Minister Netanyahu has defended the country\'s security forces for protecting the innocent from terrorists[373]and expressed contempt for what he describes as a lack of concern about the human rights violations committed by \"criminal killers\".[374]Some observers, such as Israeli officials, scholars,[375]United States Ambassador to the UNNikki Haley[376][377]and UN secretary-generalsBan Ki-moon[378]andKofi Annan,[379]also assert that the UN is disproportionately concerned with Israeli misconduct.[excessive detail?]Israeli West Bank barrierseparating Israel and the West BankThe West Bankwas occupied and annexedby Jordan in 1950, following the Arab rejection of theUN decisionto create two states in Palestine. Only Britain recognized this annexation and Jordan has sincecededits claim to the territory to thePLO. Thepopulationare mainlyPalestinians, includingrefugeesof the1948 Arab–Israeli War.[380]From their occupation in 1967 until 1993, the Palestinians living in these territories were underIsraeli military administration. Since theIsrael–PLO letters of recognition, most of the Palestinian population andcitieshave been under the internal jurisdiction of thePalestinian Authority, and only partial Israeli military control, although Israel has on several occasions redeployed itstroopsand reinstated full military administration during periods of unrest. In response to increasing attacks during theSecond Intifada, the Israeli government started to construct the Israeli West Bank barrier.[381]When completed, approximately 13% of the barrier will be constructed on theGreen Lineor in Israel with 87% inside the West Bank.[382][383]The Gaza Strip wasoccupied by Egyptfrom 1948 to 1967 and then by Israel after 1967. In 2005, as part ofIsrael\'s unilateral disengagement plan, Israel removed all of its settlers and forces from the territory. Israel does not consider the Gaza Strip to be occupied territory and declared it a \"foreign territory\". That view has been disputed by numerous international humanitarian organizations and various bodies of the United the2007 Battle of Gaza, whenHamas assumed power in the Gaza Strip,[389]Israel tightened its control of the Gaza crossings alongits border, as well as by sea and air, and prevented persons from entering and exiting the area except for isolated cases it deemed humanitarian.[389]Gaza has aborder with Egyptand an agreement between Israel, the European Union and the PA governed how border crossing would take place (it was monitored by European observers).[390]Foreign relationsMain articles:Foreign relations of IsraelandInternational recognition of IsraelDiplomatic relationsDiplomatic relations suspendedFormer diplomatic relationsNo diplomatic relations, but former trade relationsNo diplomatic relationsIsrael maintains diplomatic relations with 158 countries and has 107diplomatic missionsaround the world;[391]countries with whom they have no diplomatic relations include most Muslim countries.[392]Only three members of theArab Leaguehave normalized relations with Israel:EgyptandJordansigned peace treaties in1979and1994, respectively, and Mauritania opted for full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1999. Despite the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, Israel is still widely considered an enemy country among Egyptians.[393]Under Israeli law, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and Yemen are enemy countries,[394]and Israeli citizens may not visit them without permission from theMinistry of the Interior.[395]Iranhad diplomatic relationswith Israel under thePahlavi dynasty[396]but withdrew its recognition of Israel during theIslamic Revolution.[397]As a result of the2008–09 Gaza War, Mauritania, Qatar, Bolivia, and Venezuela suspended political and economic ties with Israel.[398][399]TheUnited Statesand theSoviet Unionwere the first two countries to recognize the State of Israel, having declared recognition roughly simultaneously.[400]The United States regards Israel as its \"most reliable partner in the Middle East,\"[401]based on \"common democratic values, religious affinities, and security interests\".[402]The United States has provided $68billion inmilitary assistanceand $32billion in grants to Israel since 1967, under theForeign Assistance Act(period beginning 1962),[403]more than any other country for that period until 2003.[403][404][405]The United Kingdom is seen as having a \"natural\"relationshipwith Israel on account of theBritish Mandate for Palestine.[406]Relations between the two countries were also made stronger by former prime ministerTony Blair\'s efforts for a two state resolution. By 2007,Germanyhad paid 25billion euros inreparationsto the Israeli state and individual Israeli Holocaust survivors.[407]Israel is included in the European Union\'sEuropean Neighbourhood Policy(ENP), which aims at bringing the EU and its neighbours closer.[408]Although Turkey and Israel did not establish full diplomatic relations until 1991,[409]Turkey hascooperatedwith the Jewish state since its recognition of Israel in 1949. Turkey\'s ties to the other Muslim-majority nations in the region have at times resulted in pressure from Arab and Muslim states to temper its relationship with Israel.[410]Relations between Turkey and Israel took a downturn after the 2008–09 Gaza War and Israel\'sraid of the Gaza flotilla.[411]Relations between Greece and Israelhave improved since 1995 due to the decline of Israeli-Turkish relations.[412]The two countries have a defense cooperation agreement and in 2010, theIsraeli Air Forcehosted Greece\'sHellenic Air Forcein a joint exercise at theUvda base. The joint Cyprus-Israel oil and gas explorations centered on theLeviathan gas fieldare an important factor for Greece, given its strong links with Cyprus.[413]Cooperation in the world\'s longest sub-sea electric power cable, theEuroAsia Interconnector, has strengthenedrelations between Cyprus and Israel.[414]Azerbaijan is one of the few majority Muslim countries to develop bilateral strategic and economicrelationswith Israel. Azerbaijan supplies Israel with a substantial amount of its oil needs, and Israel has helped modernize the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. India established fulldiplomatic tieswith Israel in 1992 and has fostered a strong military, technological and cultural partnership with the country since then.[415]According to an international opinion survey conducted in 2009 on behalf of theIsrael Ministry of Foreign Affairs, India is the most pro-Israel country in the world.[416][417]India is the largest customer of theIsraeli military equipmentand Israel is the second-largest military partner of India after Russia.[418]Ethiopiais Israel\'s main ally in Africa due to common political, religious and security interests.[419]Israel provides expertise to Ethiopia on irrigation projects and thousands ofEthiopian Jews live in Israel.International humanitarian effortsIsraeli foreign aidrankslow amongOECDnations, spending less than 0.1% of itsGNIon development assistance, as opposed to the recommended 0.7%. The country also ranked 43rd in the 2016World Giving Index.[420]However, Israel has a history of providing emergency aid and humanitarian response teams to disasters across the world.[421]Israel\'s humanitarian efforts officially began in 1957, with the establishment ofMashav, the Israel\'s Agency for International Development Cooperation.[422]There are additional Israeli humanitarian and emergency response groups that work with the Israel government, includingIsraAid, a joint programme run by 14 Israeli organizations and North American Jewish groups,[423]ZAKA,[424]The Fast Israeli Rescue and Search Team (FIRST),[425]Israeli Flying Aid (IFA),[426]Save a Child\'s Heart(SACH)[427]andLatet.[428]Between 1985 and 2015, Israel sent 24 delegations of IDF search and rescue unit, theHome Front Command, to 22 countries.[429]In Haiti, immediately following the2010 earthquake, Israel was the first country to set up a field hospital capable of performing surgical operations.[430]Israel sent over 200 medical doctors and personnel to start treating injured Haitians at the scene.[431]At the conclusion of its humanitarian mission 11 days later,[432]the Israeli delegation had treated more than 1,110 patients, conducted 319 successful surgeries, delivered 16 births and rescued or assisted in the rescue of four individuals.[433][434]Despite radiation concerns, Israel was one of the first countries to send a medical delegation to Japan following the2011 earthquake and tsunamidisaster.[435]Israel dispatched a medical team to thetsunami-strickencity ofKuriharain 2011. A medical clinic run by an IDF team of some 50 members featured pediatric, surgical, maternity and gynecological, and otolaryngology wards, together with an optometry department, a laboratory, a pharmacy and an intensive care unit. After treating 200 patients in two weeks, the departing emergency team donated its equipment to the Japanese.[436]MilitaryMain articles:Israel Defense ForcesandIsraeli security forcesFurther information:List of wars involving Israel,List of the Israel Defense Forces operations, andIsrael and weapons of mass destructionTheIsrael Defense Forcesis the sole military wing of theIsraeli security forces, and is headed by itsChief of General Staff, theRamatkal, subordinate to theCabinet. The IDF consist of thearmy,air forceandnavy. It was founded during the1948 Arab–Israeli Warby consolidating paramilitary organizations—chiefly theHaganah—that preceded the establishment of the state.[437]The IDF also draws upon the resources of theMilitary Intelligence Directorate(Aman), which works withMossadandShabak.[438]The Israel Defense Forces have been involved in severalmajor warsand border conflicts in its short history, making it one of the most battle-trained armed forces in the world.[439][440]IDFsoldiers cleaning the beaches at Tel Aviv, which have scored highly in Environmental tests.[441]Most Israelis aredrafted into the militaryat the age of 18. Men serve two years and eight months andwomentwo years.[442]Following mandatory service, Israeli men join the reserve forces and usually do up to several weeks ofreserve dutyevery year until their forties. Most women are exempt from reserve duty.Arab citizens of Israel(except theDruze) and those engaged in full-time religious studies areexempt from military service, although theexemption of yeshiva studentshas been a source of contention in Israeli society for many years.[443][444]An alternative for those who receive exemptions on various grounds isSherut Leumi, or national service, which involves a program of service in hospitals, schools and other social welfare frameworks.[445]As a result of its conscription program, the IDF maintains approximately 176,500 active troops and an additional 445,000 reservists.[446]Iron Domeis the world\'s first operational anti-artillery rocketdefense system.The nation\'s military relies heavily on high-techweaponssystemsdesigned and manufactured in Israelas well as some foreign imports. TheArrowmissile is one of the world\'s few operationalanti-ballistic missilesystems.[447]ThePythonair-to-air missile series is often considered one of the most crucial weapons in its military history.[448]Israel\'sSpikemissile is one of the most widely exportedATGMsin the world.[449]Israel\'sIron Domeanti-missile air defense system gained worldwide acclaim after intercepting hundreds ofQassam,122 mm GradandFajr-5artilleryrockets fire by Palestinian militantsfrom the Gaza Strip.[450][451]Since theYom Kippur War, Israel has developed a network ofreconnaissance satellites.[452]The success of theOfeqprogram has made Israelone of seven countriescapable of launching such satellites.[453]Israel is widely believed topossess nuclear weapons[454]as well as chemical and biologicalweapons of mass destruction.[455]Israel has not signed theTreaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons[456]and maintains apolicy of deliberate ambiguitytoward its nuclear capabilities.[457]The Israeli Navy\'sDolphin submarinesare believed to be armed with nuclearPopeye Turbo missiles, theGulf Warin 1991, when Israel was attacked byIraqi Scud missiles, all homes in Israel are required to have a reinforced security room,Merkhav Mugan, impermeable to chemical and biological substances.[459]Since its establishment, Israel has spent a significant portion of its gross domestic product on defense. However, military expenditure as a proportion of GDP has steadily fallen in recent decades. In 1984, for example, the country spent 24%[460]of its GDP on defense. By 2006, that figure had dropped to 7.3%.[2]As of 2015, Israel has the 15thlargest military expenditurein the world[461]and the 7th highest as a percentage of GDP, with 5.4%.[462]The country also ranked 8th globally forarms exports.[463]The majority of Israel\'s arms exports are unreported for security reasons.[464]Since 1974, the United States has been a particularly notable contributor ofmilitary aid to Israel.[465][466]Under amemorandum of understandingsigned in 2016, the U.S. is expected to provide the country with $3.8billion per year, or around 20% of Israel\'s defense budget, from 2018 to 2028.[467]Israel is consistently rated low in theGlobal Peace Index, ranking 144th out of 163 nations for peacefulness in 2016.[468]EconomyMain article:Economy of IsraelTheDiamond Exchange Districtin Ramat GanIsrael is considered the most advanced country inSouthwest Asiaand theMiddle Eastin economic and industrial development.[469]Israel\'s qualityuniversity educationand the establishment of a highly motivated and educated populace is largely responsible for spurring the country\'s high technology boom and rapid economic development.[311]In 2010, it joined theOECD.[29][470]The country is ranked 24th in theWorld Economic Forum\'sGlobal Competitiveness Report[471]and 52nd on theWorld Bank\'sDoing Businessindex.[472]It has the second-largest number ofstartup companiesin the world after the United States,[473]and the third-largest number ofNASDAQ-listed companiesafter the U.S. and China.[474]In 2016, Israel ranked 21st among the world\'s most competitive nations, according to theIMD\'sWorld Competitiveness Yearbook.[475]Israel was also ranked 4th in the world by share of people in high-skilled employment.[476]Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Its building is optimized for computer trading, with systems located in an underground bunker to keep the exchange active during emergencies.[477]Despite limited natural resources, intensive development of theagriculturaland industrial sectors over the past decades has made Israel largely self-sufficient in food production, apart from grains and beef. Imports to Israel, totaling $57.9billion in 2016, include raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, grain, and consumer goods.[2]Leading exports include machinery and equipment, software,cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, and textiles and apparel; in 2016, Israeli exports reached $51.61billion.[2]TheBank of Israelholds $97.22 billion offoreign-exchange reserves.[2]Since the 1970s, Israel has receivedmilitary aidfrom the United States, as well as economic assistance in the form ofloan guarantees, which now account for roughly half of Israel\'sexternal debt. Israel hasone of the lowestexternal debts in the developed world, and is a lender in terms of net external debt (assets vs. liabilities abroad), which in 2015stood at a surplus of $69billion.[478]Israel has an impressive record for creating profit driven technologies making the country a top choice for many business leaders and high technology industry giants.Intel[479]andMicrosoft[480]built their first overseasresearch and developmentfacilities in Israel, and other high-tech multi-national corporations, such asIBM,Google,Apple,HP,Cisco Systems,FacebookandMotorolahave openedR&D centres in the country. In 2007, American investorWarren Buffett\'s holding companyBerkshire Hathawaybought an Israeli company,Iscar, its firstacquisitionoutside the United States, for $4billion.[481]Days of working time in Israel are Sunday through Thursday (for a five-dayworkweek), or Friday (for a six-day workweek). In observance ofShabbat, in places where Friday is a work day and the majority of population is Jewish, Friday is a \"short day\", usually lasting till 14:00 in the winter, or 16:00 in the summer. Several proposals have been raised to adjust the work week with the majority of the world, and make Sunday a non-working day, while extending working time of other days or replacing Friday with Sunday as a work day.[482]Science and technologyMain articles:Science and technology in IsraelandList of Israeli inventions and discoveriesMaterials scienceprofessorDan Shechtmanis one of sixIsraelis to wintheNobel Prize in Chemistryin under a decade.[483]Israel\'s development of cutting-edge technologies in software, communications and the life sciences haveevoked comparisonswithSilicon Valley.[484][485]Israel ranks 10th in theBloomberg Innovation Index,[486]and is 2nd in the world inexpenditure on research and developmentas a percentage of GDP.[487]Israel boasts 140 scientists, technicians, and engineers per 10,000 employees, the highest number in the world (in comparison, the same is 85 for the U.S.).[488][489][490]Israel has produced sixNobel Prize-winningscientists since 2004[483]and has been frequently ranked as one of the countries with the highest ratios ofscientific papersper capita in the world.[491][492][493]Israel has led the world instem-cellresearch papers per capita since 2000.[494]Israeli universitiesare ranked among the top 50 world universities in computer science (TechnionandTel Aviv University), mathematics (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and chemistry (Weizmann Institute of Science).[331]IAI Lavi,technology demonstrator.In 2012 Israel was ranked ninth in the world by the Futron\'sSpace Competitiveness Index.[495]TheIsrael Space Agencycoordinates all Israeli space research programs with scientific and commercial goals, and have indigenously designed and built at least 13 commercial, research and spy satellites.[496]Some of Israel\'s satellites are ranked among the world\'s most advanced space systems.[497]Shavitis a spacelaunch vehicleproduced by Israel to launch smallsatellitesintolow Earth orbit.[498]It was first launched in 1988, making Israel theeighth nationto have a space launch capability. In 2003,Ilan Ramonbecame Israel\'s first astronaut, serving as payload specialist ofSTS-107, thefatal missionof theSpace ShuttleColumbia.[499]The ongoing shortage ofwater in the countryhas spurred innovation inwater conservationtechniques, and a substantialagricultural modernization,drip irrigation, wasinvented in Israel. Israel is also at the technological forefront ofdesalinationandwater recycling. TheSorek desalination plantis the largest seawaterreverse osmosis(SWRO)desalination facilityin the world.[500]By 2014, Israel\'s desalination programs provided roughly 35% of Israel\'s drinking water and it is expected to supply 40% by 2015 and 70% by 2050.[501]As of 2015, more than 50 percent of the water for Israeli households, agriculture and industry is artificially produced.[502]The country hosts an annual Water Technology and Environmental Control Exhibition & Conference (WATEC) that attracts thousands of people from across the world.[503][504]In 2011, Israel\'swater technology industrywas worth around $2 billion a year with annual exports of products and services in the tens of millions of dollars. As a result of innovations in reverse osmosis technology, Israel is set to become a netexporter of waterin the coming years.[505]The world\'s largest solar parabolic dish at theBen-Gurion National Solar Energy Center.[506]Israel has embracedsolar energy; its engineers are on the cutting edge of solar energy technology[507]and its solar companies work on projects around the world.[508][509]Over 90% of Israeli homes use solar energy for hot water, the highest per capita in the world.[259][510]According to government figures, the country saves 8% of its electricity consumption per year because of its solar energy use in heating.[511]The high annual incidentsolar irradianceat its geographiclatitudecreates ideal conditions for what is an internationally renowned solar research and development industry in theNegev Desert.[507][508][509]Israel had a modernelectric car infrastructureinvolving a countrywide network ofcharging stationsto facilitate the charging and exchange of car batteries. It was thought that this would have lowered Israel\'s oil dependency and lowered the fuel costs of hundreds of Israel\'s motorists that use cars powered only by electric batteries.[512][513][514]The Israeli model was being studied by several countries and being implemented in Denmark and Australia.[515]However, Israel\'s trailblazing electric car companyBetter Placeshut down in 2013.[516]TransportationMain article:Transport in IsraelReception hall atBen Gurion AirportIsrael has 19,224 kilometres (11,945mi) of pavedroads,[517]and 3million motor vehicles.[518]Thenumber of motor vehicles per 1,000 personsis 365, relatively low with respect to developed countries.[518]Israel has 5,715 buses on scheduled routes,[519]operated by several carriers, the largest of which isEgged, serving most of the country.Railwaysstretch across 1,277 kilometres (793mi) and are operated solely by government-ownedIsrael Railways.[520]Following major investments beginning in the early to mid-1990s, the number of train passengers per year has grown from 2.5million in 1990, to 53million in 2015; railways are also transporting 7.5million tons of cargo, per year.[520]Israel is served by two internationalairports,Ben Gurion Airport, the country\'s main hub for international air travel near Tel Aviv, andOvda Airport, which serves the southernmost port city of Eilat. There are several small domestic airports as well.[521]Ben Gurion, Israel\'s largest airport, handled over 15million passengers in 2015.[522]On theMediterraneancoast, thePort of Haifais the country\'s oldest and largest port, whileAshdod Portis one of the few deep water ports in the world built on the open sea.[521]In addition to these, the smallerPort of Eilatis situated on theRed Sea, and is used mainly for trading with Far East countries.[521]1948 Jewish MILITARY BOARD GAME Barlevi INDEPENDENCE WAR Israel MAP Judaica IDF:
$495.00