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Basic Facts
Capital: Jerusalem
Other major cities: Tel-Aviv, Bethlehem
Population: 7,473,052 (July 2010 est.)
Major Languages:
Hebrew (official),
Arabic (used officially for Arab minority)
English (most commonly used foreign
language)
Brief History
1948
UN creates Jewish and Arab state after
Britain leaves Palestine
○ Palestinian War
○ Arabs dislike this idea
1948
Six Day War June 1967
Israel attacks Egypt, Jordan and Syria
simultaneously
Six days of fighting, Israel had radically
altered the political map of the region
By June 13, Israeli forces had captured
Golan Heights from Syria
Sinai and the Gaza Strip from Egypt
All of Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan
Doubled the size of pre1967 Israel,
○ placing under Israel's control more than 1 million
Palestinian Arabs.
1993 – Israel and Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) allow for a period of transitional Palestinian self-rule on the West Bank and Gaza Strip
2005 – Israel evacuates troops and soldiers from Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank
However, Israel controls roads and seas entering these areas
Palestine
Islamic
Important leaders Yasser Arafat (died 2004)
Current Leader: Mahmud Abbas
HAMAS – Islamic Resistance Movement, political group took control of Palestine ’06 and violence has continued to impose sanctions against Palestine – does not recognize Israel as a country (terrorist)
FATAH – Party of President Abbas – in charge of West Bank – does not get along with Hamas
Palestine
Ethnicities: Palestinian Arab and other 83%
Jewish 17%
Languages Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Religions Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%,
Christian and other 8%
Population: 2,568,555 (July 2010 est.)
Exports: stone, olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Current Issues
Israel continues to build in West Bank
and East Jerusalem (both belonging at
least in part to Palestine)
Palestine has asked to become part of
the United Nations – not accepted as of
yet
Israeli:
Basic Structure of Government
Parliamentary Democracy
6 districts
No formal constitution
– simply a Declaration of Establishment – work in progress
18 yr universal sufferage
Israeli: Basic Structure of Government
Continued
Legislative Branch
Unicameral
○ Knesset (4 yr terms)
○ 120 members – proportioned by popular vote
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court
○ Appointed by Judicial Selection Committee
○ Must retire at age 70
Civil and Religious Courts
○ Jewish, Muslim, and Christian for various
cases
Israeli: Basic Structure of Government
continued
Executive Branch
Head of State – President
○ Shimon Peres
○ 7 yr term elected by leg.
Head of Government – Prime Minister
○ Binyamin Netanyahu
Cabinet – appointed by P.M./approved by
leg.
Israeli Ethnic Groups
Jewish 76.4%
(of which:
○ Israel-born 67.1%
○ Europe/America-born 22.6%
○ Africa-born 5.9%
○ Asia-born 4.2%)
non-Jewish 23.6% (mostly Arab)
2004
Israeli Major Religions
Jewish 75.6%
Muslim 16.9%
Christian 2%
Druze 1.7%
other 3.8%
(2008 census)
Israeli Resources and Exports
Fairly limited resources: timber, potash,
copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock,
magnesium bromide, clays, and sand
Exports: Cut diamonds, high-technology
equipment, and agricultural products
(fruits and vegetables)
Israel’s Relationship with the US
half of the Israeli government's external
debt is owed to the US
US is the country’s major source of
economic and military aid
Largest country they export to is the US
– 31%
Largest country they import from – US –
12%
Interesting Facts
Both men and women are obligated to
Military Service
18th in the world in military spending
(based on % of GDP)
Israel occupies 75% of the land known
as Canaan
Bibliography
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-
bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+il00
34)
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the
-world-factbook/
Feinstein, Steve. Israel: In Pictures. Visual
Geography Series. 1988: Lerner
Publications Company.