Israel

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Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

Jerusalem

Population

6,117,000

Government

Parliamentary Democracy

Religions

Judaism, Islam, Christianity

Languages

Hebrew, Arabic, English

Calling Code

+972

Nationality

Local name

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Introduction

It's not really golden...

© All Rights Reserved Ofelia

The immense religious significance of Israel to Jews, Muslims and Christians alike makes Israel one of the most important places on earth. Unfortunately, where great importance lies, the danger of conflict and violence also lies, as news of suicide bombings and political strife in Israel brutally demonstrates. That said, Israel is still a beautiful and fascinating place to visit.

Brief History

The Land of Israel, known in Hebrew as Eretz Yisrael, has been sacred to the Jewish people since Biblical times. According to the Torah, the Land of Israel was promised to the three Patriarchs of the Jewish people, by God, as their homeland.
Between the time of the Israelite kingdoms and the 7th-century Muslim conquests, the Land of Israel fell under Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Sassanian, and Byzantine rule.
Jews living in the Diaspora have long aspired to return to Zion and the Land of Israel. That hope and yearning was articulated in the Bible, and is a central theme in the Jewish prayer book. Beginning in the 12th century, Catholic persecution of Jews led to a steady stream leaving Europe to settle in the Holy Land, increasing in numbers after Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492.
The first large wave of modern immigration, known as the First Aliyah, began in 1881, as Jews fled pogroms in Eastern Europe. While the Zionist movement already existed in theory, Theodor Herzl is credited with founding political Zionism, a movement which sought to establish a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. The Second Aliyah (1904–1914), began after the Kishinev pogrom.
During World War I, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued what became known as the Balfour Declaration, which "viewed with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people". The Third (1919–1923) and Fourth Aliyah (1924–1929) brought 100,000 Jews to Palestine. From 1921 the British subjected Jewish immigration to quotas and most of the territory slated for the Jewish state was allocated to Transjordan.
The rise of Nazism in the 1930s led to the Fifth Aliyah, with an influx of a quarter of a million Jews. This caused the Arab revolt of 1936–1939. By the end of World War II, Jews accounted for 33% of the population of Palestine, up from 11% in 1922.
After 1945 the United Kingdom became embroiled in an increasingly violent conflict with the Jews. In 1947, the British government withdrew from commitment to the Mandate of Palestine, stating it was unable to arrive at a solution acceptable to both Arabs and Jews. On May 14, 1948, the day before the end of the British Mandate, the Jewish Agency proclaimed independence, naming the country Israel; it was not until this day that the world knew that the new state would be called Israel. The following day the armies of five Arab countries - Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq - attacked Israel, launching the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Jordan annexed what became known as the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip. Israel was admitted as a member of the United Nations on May 11, 1949. During the conflict 711,000 Arabs, according to UN estimates, or about 80% of the previous Arab population, were expelled or fled the country. The fate of the Palestinian refugees today is a major point of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Arab nationalists led by Nasser refused to recognize Israel or its right to exist, calling for its destruction. In 1967, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan massed troops close to Israeli borders, expelled UN peacekeepers and blocked Israel's access to the Red Sea. Israel saw these actions as a casus belli for a pre-emptive strike that launched the Six-Day War, in which Israel achieved a decisive victory and captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights. On October 6, 1973, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched a surprise attack against Israel. The war ended on October 26 with Israel successfully repelling Egyptian and Syrian forces but suffering great losses.
Up until this day, constant fights, wars with neighbouring countries and unsolved disputes about the dividing of land between Jews and Arabs are the reality.

Geography

Israel shares international with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt.

Regions/Districts

Israel consists of 6 main administrative districts.

• Center District
• Haifa District
• Jerusalem District
• Northern District
• Southern District
• Tel Aviv District

Cities

• Jerusalem, one of the most religious cities in the world and the capital of the country. Jerusalem is holy to all three of the major religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).
• Tel Aviv, including Jaffa. Tel-Aviv has been described as the city that never sleeps. This is 100% true, with people of all ages walking along the promenades, sitting at sidewalk cafés or going out on the town to numerous night spots. Part of the city called the White City of Tel Aviv is of particular interest as it is on the Unesco World Heritage list.
• Haifa
• Beer Sheva, one of the biblical tels.
• Ashdod
• Eilat, in the south by the Red Sea. Eilat is known for its beautiful coral reefs. It is on the border of Egypt and is a popular tourist site for both Europeans and Israelis.
• Bethlehem
• Nazareth - hometown of Jesus.
• Nahariya is a beautiful coastal city near the Lebanese border. It was once a very popular city with honeymooners.

Sights and Activities

Overview
Not surprisingly, Israel's main appeal is its spiritual significance. Being able to retrace the steps of the Jewish Patriarchs or Jesus or pilgrims who have visited throughout the centuries is what thousands come here to do. The Israeli Antiquities Authority has preserved and restored many biblical/historical sites complimented by well informed and interesting tour guides, audio-visual presentations, computer simulations, slide shows and live action re-creation.

For those less interested in spirituality, Israel still has an extensive list of compulsory activities, be it floating on the Dead Sea, rafting on the Jordan River, hiking in the Negev Desert or striking up a towel on one of the many fine beaches along the Mediterranean coast. There are dozens of national parks and reserves to enjoy, both with natural and cultural features or a combination of both. If you are an art lover, you should visit the Israeli museum in Jerusalem, Yad VaShem, Tel Aviv museum of art and the Raw Art Gallery.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a magical city, where the ancient and modern worlds collide. Very few places bear the immense significance that Jerusalem has for Jews, Muslims and Christians, which explains why Jerusalem is such a fascinating city. The Israeli Museum is just one of many highlights here. If you want to read more about the city, visit the Jerusalem article.

North Israel

In northern Israel, you'll find beautiful, rolling green hills and expansive valleys rich in vegetation, with flowers galore and so very much to see and do in the Galilee. The Sea of Galilee is called the home of Christ and is a beautiful fresh water area. The Golan Heights (only considered territory of Israel by the country itself, but internationally regarded part of Syria) afford great views of the surrounding land. There also are a lot of historical and cultural sights to explore in this less visited region. For example Nimrod Castle, a beautifully located Crusader castle above the Galilee Sea.

Negev desert

The Negev desert in southern Israel is a gorgeous destination with a quiet and majestic beauty which will astonish you. It covers the southern portion of the country including the coastline of the Red Sea near Eilat and is home to just a small part of the Israeli population. Beer Sheba is one of the bigger settlements here and is one of three biblical tels (prehistoric settlement mounds) along with Megiddo and Hazor which is on the Unesco list. Other features include the Ramon Crater, the largest crater in the country. The Incense Route is a route along the Nabatean desert cities of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta which is on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Dead Sea

Masada

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The Dead Sea is located in the east of Israel on the border with Jordan which also has part of the coastline and lake within its territories. This is the lowest point on earth at almost 400 meters below sea level and is the lake has the saltiest water in the world. People with certain skin diseases may find the water healing. In the region of the Dead Sea Valley which is part of the Great Rift Valley you can find the Ein Gedi National Park which is the biggest and the most important oasis in Israel. Another important feature includes Masada which is a rugged natural fortress, a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel and its violent destruction.

Red Sea Diving

Just like its neighbours Israel has some fantastic diving locations to explore the Red Sea near Eilat. The Red Sea among divers is one of the best locations in the world to see an abundance of species of fish, turtles and other sea creatures, including impressive coral.

Other Sights and Activities

• Masada is the famous fortress in the South of Israel were the Jews made their last stand against the Romans in the 1st century AD.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Any time is a good time to visit Israel! Spring & summer months are the best times to visit Jerusalem, where there is always a cool afternoon breeze blowing across the Judean Hills. If you can bear the heat and humidity along the coast, come in July and August, when there's lots to do, see and experience.
The best time to visit the south of the country is during late summer and autumn and in spring. Even winters are still warm though, but summers are unpleasantly hot, with temperatures near Eilat over 40 degrees Celcius not uncommon. In the Negev desert, temperatures over 50 degrees have been recorded. The northern coastline is somewhat milder and has hot and dry weather in summer and mild weather in winter with occasional showers. In winter snow is possible more inland and even in Jerusalem.

Getting There

By Plane

El Al is the national airline of Israel, based at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) close to Tel Aviv. El Al has flights to and from a number of European cities, including Amsterdam, Madrid, London, Frankfurt and Geneva and flights further away include those to Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Beijing. Dozens of other airlines (including several Israeli based) serve the country, mostly to Europe and the former Sovjetunion republics and to Cairo.

By Car

You can cross borders by car to Jordan and Egypt. Note that to the latter you can only cross borders into Egypt, not the other way around (back to Israel). Also note that borders with Lebanon and Syria are shut tight (both for car as well as public transport). For all other crossings, you will be fine with your own car (not a rental!) and the right information regarding insurance, car and personal documents.
Borders to Egypt used to be Rafah and Taba, but now only the latter functions that way. Rafah (border with Gaza Strip) is closed. To Jordan, most travellers cross near Aqaba but there are a handful of other possibilities including one in the north of Jordan, near Irbid and Umm Qais ruins. The border crossing in the central part of the country near Jerusalem across the King Hussein Bridge is closed for foreigners with their own (or rental) cars.
Be sure to have your visa in order for all the countries mentioned here. You can get a special Sinai (Egypt) visa if you only want to visit the Sinai Peninsula.

By Bus

Mazada Tours has buses between Tel Aviv/Jerusalem and Cairo.
Buses also travel between Haifa/Nazareth and Amman in Jordan. Also connections to Amman exist from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. You can do most trips in stages as well. Eilat is a convenient places of doing daytrips to Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan.

By Boat

Ferries are supposed to travel between Haifa and Cyprus but check in the ports to make sure, because services get suspended quite often and after a while resume again. In summer, there is a higher chance of getting a ferry or a last minute place on a more luxurious cruiseship if you fancy that. For the more adventurous travellers, there are also cargo ships going from Haifa to Limassol on Cyprus.
If you want to avoid travelling through Israel, take the Aqaba to Nuweiba ferry. Check the getting there sections of Egypt and Jordan to see details.

Getting Around

Getting around Israel is very easy, either by train, bus, tax or "sharoot" (a cross between a taxi and bus, seating about 12 people). Getting from one point to another is easy. A taxi from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv costs about NIS240 (shiekles) or a sharoot about NIS15. This journey is about 60km in distance.
The following gives more opportunities to get around Israel, as there are many options for such a small country to travel from A to B.

By Plane

Arkia (Israel Inland Airways) and Israir offer flights between both Tel Aviv and Haifa and Eilat daily except Saturdays.

By Train

Israel Railways offers an extensive network of rail links throughout the country. There are six lines. One goes along the coast from Nahariya in the north to Ben Gurion Airport in the south, stopping in Haifa and Tel Aviv. A second line runs from Binyamina to Ashkelon, via Netanya, Herzliya, Tel Aviv and Ashdod. The other lines run from Tel Aviv to Kfar Saba, from Tel Aviv to Beersheva, from Tel Aviv to Rishon le Zion and between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which is one of the most scenic railways in the country. Note that services don't run on Shabbat (Friday evening to Saturday).

By Car

The road network in Israel is in a very good condition and so are the rental cars from many international (Hertz, Sixt, Avis) and local (Eldan is one of the biggest) companies. You can find them on airports, ports and major cities and towns. It is not cheap, but is an excellent way of getting around. Traffic drives on the right and you need a national driver's licence and sufficient insurance. Note that driving skills might not be the same as in your own country, so drive defensive.
Hitching in Israel is pretty easy and relatively safe as well.

By Bus

EGGED is the national bus service company, offering frequent, cheap, comfortable and reliable bus links to almost any city, town and even smaller villages. They don't run on Shabbat (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday). Older buses travel between East Jerusalem and the West Bank towns.
Dan bus company operates in the Tel Aviv region only.
Sheruts are 7 to 13 seat minibuses plying the same routes as buses. They are a bit more expensive but do run on Shabbat.

By Boat

Kinneret Sailing Company has ferries across Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) from Tiberias on the west side to Ein Gev kibbutz on the eastern shore. Other than that, it will probably on a boat from Eilat to go diving in the Red Sea.

Red Tape

Main article: Visas (Israel)

Money

See also Money Matters

The new sheqel (Hebrew: שקל חדש, abbr. NIS) is Israel's currency. It is made up of 100 agorot (אגורות). Notes come in
20, 50, 100 and 200 new sheqalim denominations and coins come in denominations of 10 agorot and ½, 1, 2, 5 and 10 new sheqalim.

Work

Study

Language

Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages, and English is spoken widely.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also: Travel Health

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

Israel is one of the few countries today where you will see young children entertaining themselves at the beach or shopping malls, catching buses or taxis alone to and from their destinations. Children are independent from an early age. The media frequently reports incidents of suicide bombings in Israel. Although the threat of a suicide bombing is real, this threat is no higher than being killed or maimed in a car accident.

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

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