Facts About the Country of Israel

Israel's history reaches back 5,000 years to the biblical period when Israelite tribes conquered and settled the land. Since then, many conquerors have ruled the area, from the Romans and Byzantines to the Arabs, Seljuks, Crusaders, Mamaluks, Ottoman Turks and British; the modern State of Israel was founded in 1948.

Since its founding War of Independence, Israel has been in continual turmoil: wars with the Arab states in 1956, 1967 and 1973; with Lebanon in 1982 and 2006; and the Gaza War in December 2008 and January 2009.

A parliamentary democracy, Israel has three branches of government with separation of powers. The 120-member seats in Israel's legislature, the Knesset, are assigned in proportion to each party's share of the total national vote.

Israel was founded as a Jewish state, but its Muslim, Christian and other residents are guaranteed religious freedom. Israel serves as a place of refuge for Jews who have been oppressed in other countries and forced to leave.

Israel's largest cities are its capital, Jerusalem; its center of business and cultural life, Tel Aviv; its port and northern industrial city, Haifa; and its newer southern center, Beersheba.

Within Israel's boundaries are holy sites of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. The prophet Muhammed ascended to heaven from Jerusalem, and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aksa Mosque are holy to Muslims; Jesus was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Bethlehem, and was resurrected in Jerusalem, and churches at each site recall this history. The central religious institutions of ancient Jews were the Temples in Jerusalem, and the remaining Western Wall of the Second Temple is a holy site for Jews.