Yisra’el Israel Fighting for peace and security

Geography Mediterranean, Dead Sea Diverse Landscape Desert, Coastal Plain, Central Mountains Mediterranean, Dead Sea Diverse Landscape Desert, Coastal Plain, Central Mountains

Climate  Hot and Dry  16% Arable Land  Sandstorms Natural Resources TimberPotash Copper oreNatural gas Phosphate rockMagnesium bromide ClaysSand

Economics  Limited Natural Resources  Exports: Cut Diamonds, High Technology, and Agricultural Products  GDP: $154.5 billion (2005)  21.6% below poverty line

Government  Parliamentary Democracy  Knesset or Parliament  President selects Prime Minister  Legislative elected by popular vote  British Mandate  Jewish, Christian, Muslim legal system

Major Issues  3 No’s

Time Line  WWI Ottoman Empire collapses and enables Zionist movement  British Mandate ( )  May 14, 1948 Israel declares independence  Law of Return (1950) and Western Influence  Six Day War (1967) and Yom Kippur War (1973)  Golan Heights Law extends Israeli governance (1981)

Time Line cont.  Israel withdraws from Sinai, pursuant to Israeli-Egypt peace treaty, but invades Lebanon (1982)  Madrid Conference between Israel, Palestine, and Syria (1991)  Osolo Accords and Palestinian self-rule (1993)  Israeli-Jordan peace treaty (1994)

Time Line cont.  Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon (2000)  Israel withdraws settlers and military from the Gaza Strip (2005)  Palestine elects Hamas (2006)  Conflict with Lebanon following Kidnapping (2006)  Israel attacks potential Syrian nuclear project (2007)

Relationship with the US

Atmosphere

Culture