Israel

On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel declared its independence. Located in the Middle East, it is bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea. Although only about 290 miles long and 85 miles wide, Israel has a varied topography, including desert, fertile valleys, forests, and a coastal plain. It also contains the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. Primarily a country of immigrants, Israel's population numbers approximately 6.5 million, about three quarters of which are Jews. Most Israelis live in urban centers, including the capital city of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Be'er Sheva, although 2% to 3% live in rural communities known as kibbutzim. The Israeli government is a parliamentary democracy comprising legislative (called the Knesset),executive, and judicial branches. Although Israel is most immediately understood as a geographically situated nation-state, it also refers to a concept of peoplehood shared by many Jews, for whom the notion of the “land of Israel” is indistinguishable from the “people of Israel.” Both the geopolitical limits of the state of Israel and the cultural contents of the people of Israel are subject of much debate and contestation.

The political history of Israel can be understood as on ongoing engagement with the domestic and international challenges occasioned by war and peace. Some 24 hours after declaring independence, the armed forces of several neighboring countries, including Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon, invaded Israel. This conflict, known in Israel as the War of Independence, lasted approximately 15 months and concluded with armistice agreements negotiated under United Nations auspices. Under these agreements, Jordan took control of the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip came under the administration of the Egyptian government. Jerusalem was divided, with the eastern portion, including the Old City, going to Jordan and the western portion to Israel. However, Israel regained control of these territories after the Six-Day War of 1967,which also resulted in the Golan Heights moving from Syrian to Israeli control. In October 1973, the nations that had lost land in 1967 regained significant portions of what they had lost as a result of the Yom Kippur War (so-named in Israel because it coincided with the Jewish High Holy Day of Yom Kippur). While Israel and its neighbors have continued to do battle in the ensuing years (e.g., Lebanon in the early1980s and Iraq in the 1990s), the greatest challenge to peace in Israel at the turn of the 21st century is that of Palestinian self-determination. In 1993, following several years of Palestinian insurrection known as the Intifada, Israel granted limited autonomy to the Palestine National Authority, led by former leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. On September28, 2000, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians once again reached a flashpoint when Israeli leader Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount,Judaism's holiest place. Muslims refer to this site as Haram al-Sharif and regard it as one of Islam's holiest places. Since that time, Palestinians have continued to challenge Israeli authority, using both political channels and violence in an effort to obtain sovereignty.

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