Israel...
Stats...
Overview:
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of
Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an
arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the
Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two
sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in
the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel
withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Israel
and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of
Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guiding an interim period of
Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan
were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In
addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern
Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework
established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations
were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to
achieve a permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid
out a "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which envisions
a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement
has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence ongoing since September
2000. The conflict may have reached a turning point with the election in
January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS as the new Palestinian leader following the
November 2004 death of Yasir ARAFAT.
Population: 6,276,883
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
Total Area: 20,770 sq km
Land Area: 20,330 sq km
Comparative Area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Capital:
Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the
US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14
May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April
or May
More Israel Facts...
More Tips on Travelling to the Middle East...
Overview:
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of
Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an
arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the
Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two
sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in
the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel
withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Israel
and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a Declaration of
Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guiding an interim period of
Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan
were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In
addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern
Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework
established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations
were conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to
achieve a permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid
out a "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which envisions
a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement
has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence ongoing since September
2000. The conflict may have reached a turning point with the election in
January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS as the new Palestinian leader following the
November 2004 death of Yasir ARAFAT.
Population: 6,276,883
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
Total Area: 20,770 sq km
Land Area: 20,330 sq km
Comparative Area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Capital:
Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the
US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
National holiday:
Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14
May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April
or May
More Israel Facts...
More Tips on Travelling to the Middle East...