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Location
Israel is located in Western Asia, in the region commonly known as the Middle East. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the southwest, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.
Administrative Districts
Israel is divided into six main administrative districts, known in Hebrew as mekhozot and Arabic as mintaqah12. These districts are:
- Northern District
- Haifa District
- Central District
- Tel Aviv District
- Jerusalem District
- Southern District
Each district is further divided into sub-districts known as nafot12. Each sub-district is further divided into natural regions, cities, municipalities, and regional councils.
The capital of Israel is Jerusalem. However, it’s important to be aware that the status of Jerusalem as the capital is a complex and sensitive issue. The city is not internationally recognized as the capital of Israel, and there have been conflicts regarding the status of the city. The United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty. Despite this, many countries still have their embassies in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is also claimed as the capital by Palestine.
Disputed Regions
It must also be noted that several regions claimed by Israel are the subject of international dispute. These regions were taken over by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967, and include:
The Gaza Strip: The Gaza Strip is a narrow, 25-mile stretch of land located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north. Gaza is one of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank. Gaza is home to 2 million Palestinians, most of whom are descendants of refugees who fled or were expelled from the area that became Israel after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The majority of the population are Sunni Muslims, with a small Palestinian Christian minority. The Gaza Strip was occupied by Egypt until Israel took control of it during the Six-Day War in 1967. The region is officially governed by the Palestinian National Authority, however the militant Sunni Islamic organization Hamas has de facto administered the area since July 2007.
The Golan Heights: The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau located along the border of Israel and Syria, with smaller borders shared with Lebanon to the north and Jordan to the south. Two-thirds of the Golan are occupied by Israel, about 500 square miles in total, while Syria retains control of a narrow eastern strip. The international community, with the exception of Israel and the United States, regards the Golan Heights to be Syrian territory held by Israel under military occupation. The Golan Heights is home to a population of around 40,000 to 50,000 people, nearly all of whom are Druze and Israeli Jewish settlers.
The West Bank: The West Bank is a landlocked territory, bordered by Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east and by Israel to the south, west, and north. The West Bank was ruled by Jordan from 1950 until the 1967 Six-Day War, when it was captured and occupied by Israel. Since then, Israel has administered the West Bank as the Judea and Samaria Area. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal under international law. The mid-1990s Oslo Accords split the West Bank into three regional levels of Palestinian sovereignty, via the Palestinian National Authority (PNA): Area A (PNA), Area B (PNA and Israel), and Area C (Israel, comprising 60% of the West Bank). The West Bank is now one of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the Gaza Strip. It has an estimated population of nearly 3 million Palestinians. Additionally, over 670,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, of which approximately 220,000 live in East Jerusalem.
East Jerusalem: The capital city of Israel is Jerusalem. However, it’s important to note that the status of Jerusalem is a complex and sensitive issue. Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and formally annexed the region in July 1980, in what is known to Israelis as the Reunification of Jerusalem. Israel then declared the united Jerusalem as its capital, but this has not been recognized by the internationally community. The United States did officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017, during the presidency of Donald trump. However, most countries continue to maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.
See Also: Geography of Israel
History
Israel has its origins in the Zionism movement, established in the late 19th century by Jews in the Russian Empire who called for the establishment of a territorial Jewish state on indigenous Palestinian land after enduring persecution.
During World War I, British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour submitted a letter of intent supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The British government hoped that the formal declaration—known thereafter as the Balfour Declaration —would encourage support for the Allies in World War I. When World War I ended in 1918 with an Allied victory, the 400-year Ottoman Empire rule ended, and Great Britain took control over what became known as Palestine.
On 14 May 1948, the day the British mandate over Palestine terminated, Palestine's Jewish leadership declared the establishment of the State of Israel, though without announcing its borders. The following day Israel was invaded by five Arab armies, marking the start of Israel’s War of Independence. This war led to a massive Palestinian expulsion and flight from the land that Israel came to control.
The latter half of the 20th century saw a series of conflicts between Israel and its neighboring Arab nations. In 1967, the Six-Day War erupted; in its aftermath, Israel captured and occupied the Golan Heights from Syria, the West Bank from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt.
In 1979, the Egypt–Israel peace treaty was signed, and in 1994, the Israel–Jordan peace treaty was signed. In 1993, Israel signed the Oslo I Accord with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was followed by the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority. None-the-less, conflict continues to play a major role in Israeli.
Historical Timeline
- 1917: The Balfour Declaration calls for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland.
- 1920: The League of Nations assigns Britain the creation of Mandatory Palestine.
- 1939–1945: World War II and The Holocaust occurred in German-occupied Europe killing 6 million Jews.
- 1948: On the last day of the British Mandate, David Ben-Gurion issued the Israeli Declaration of Independence, sparking the Israeli-Arab War.
- 1949: The first government of Israel was established.
- June 1967: The Six-Day War was fought between Israel and Arab neighbors Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The nations of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria, and others also contributed troops and arms to the Arab forces. Following the war, the territory held by Israel expanded significantly.
- Oct 1973: Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.
- 1978: Israel and Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country.
- 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon to fight the Palestinian Liberation Organization, in what became known as the Lebanon War.
- 1993: Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed the Oslo Accords, agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian National Authority.
See also: History of Israel
Ethnicities
Jews make up the majority of the population of Israel at approximately 75%. The Jewish population in Israel is incredibly diverse, with roots spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It includes Sephardic Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, Mizrahi Jews, Karaite Jews, Bene Israel, Cochin Jews, and Beta Israel among other groups. The Arab community, spanning various religions excluding Judaism, accounts for about 20% of the population. This includes both Muslim and Christian Arabs. An additional 5% of the population are classified as "others" and comprises those with Jewish ancestry but not recognized as Jewish by religious law, non-Jewish family members of Jewish immigrants, Christian non-Arabs, Muslim non-Arabs, and residents without a distinct ethnic or religious categorization. There are also smaller ethnic groups present in Israel, including the Druze, Arameans, Armenians, Assyrians, Circassians, and Samaritans.
See Also: Israelis
Language
Hebrew is the official language of Israel and is spoken by the majority of the population. Its standard form, known as Modern Hebrew, is the main medium of life in Israel. Arabic is used mainly by Israel’s Arab minority and has a special status under Israeli law. Russian is spoken by about 20% of the Israeli population, primarily by the large immigrant population from the former Soviet Union. English is a known foreign language by a significant proportion of the Israeli population and is widely used in official logos and road signs alongside Hebrew and Arabic. Other languages spoken in Israel include French, Spanish, Romanian, German, Polish, Ladino, Yiddish, Hungarian, Persian, and Amharic.
See Also: Languages of Israel
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Religion
Judaism is the primary religion of Israel, practiced by about 75% of the population. Israeli Jews mainly classify themselves along a fourfold axis, from least to most observant: Hiloni (secular), Masorti (traditional), Dati (religious or orthodox), and Haredi (ultra-religious or ultra-orthodox). Islam, predominantly Sunni, is practiced by about 18% of the population. Christianity, mostly Melkite and Orthodox, is practiced by about 2% of the population. Other faiths practiced by small numbers of Israelis include the Druze faith, Samaritanism and Baháʼí.
See Also: Religion in Israel
Israeli Naming Conventions
Israeli naming conventions vary among different Jewish communities residing in Israel. Here are some general practices:
Jewish names have historically varied, encompassing several different traditions. Most Hebrew names are based on Jewish texts, nature, geography, and Hebrew words. Israelis tend to have a personal name, followed by a surname. Secular or modern Israelis do not give middle names, while it’s a must in religious Jewish families. Many Jews name their children after family members.
Modern Ashkenazi Israeli family names often stem from new immigrants who voluntarily changed their names into Hebrew, and some Sephardic/Mizrahi families have changed their names from Arabic into Hebrew as well.
See Also: Arabic names