Israel

I

Introduction

Israel, republic in the Middle East, formally known as the State of Israel (in Hebrew, Medinat Yisra’el) and established in 1948. Israel is on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and bordered to the north by Lebanon, to the north-east by Syria, to the east by Jordan, and to the south-west by Egypt. Its southernmost tip extends to the Gulf of Aqaba, an arm of the Red Sea; Israel’s area is 21,946 sq km (8,473 sq mi).

This figure includes East Jerusalem and other territory that Israel captured in the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed shortly afterwards; most countries do not recognize the annexation of East Jerusalem. The other areas seized during the war were the Gaza Strip, the West Bank region of Jordan, the Golan Heights area of south-western Syria, and the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. However, the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt by 1982 under the 1979 Peace Agreement, and Palestinian self-rule took effect in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho in May 1994, following a historic peace agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in September 1993. In September 2005, following Prime Minister Sharon’s plans for disengagement from the region, Israeli settlers in the Gaza Strip were removed and Israeli settlements destroyed. (See also Palestinian National Authority.)

Jerusalem is Israel’s largest city and has been designated the country’s capital. However, this is not recognized by the UN and many countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv-Yafo.

II

Land and Resources

Israel has an extreme length of about 420 km (260 mi) and a width that varies from about 16 to 115 km (10 to 70 mi). It can be divided into five major topographical areas: the highlands of Galilee, the Plain of Esdraelon (also called the Plain of Jezreel), the Judaean and Samarian hills, the coastal plains, and the Negev.

The hills of Galilee dominate the northern section of Israel, extending east about 40 km (25 mi) from a narrow coastal plain across to Lake Tiberias (also called the Sea of Galilee). Israel’s highest point, Mount Meron (1,208 m/3,963 ft), is in this area. To the south of the highlands of Galilee lies the Plain of Esdraelon, about 55 km (35 mi) long and about 25 km (15 mi) wide, running across Israel from the vicinity of Haifa on the Mediterranean coast to the River Jordan. Formerly a malarial swampland, the valley has been drained and is now a densely populated and productive agricultural region.

Extending about 195 km (120 mi) along the Mediterranean, the coastal plains range from a width of less than 1 km (0.6 mi) to a maximum of about 32 km (20 mi). They consist of the Plain of Zevulun, extending about 16 km (10 mi) north of Haifa along the Bay of Haifa; the Plain of Sharon, extending south from the vicinity of Haifa to Tel Aviv-Yafo; and the Plain of Judaea, from Tel Aviv-Yafo to north of the city of Gaza. The coastal plains contain most of Israel’s large cities, industry, and commerce. The Judaean Hills, and north of them the Samarian Hills, form a barrier running north and south throughout most of Israel.

The Negev is a desert region to the south. The desert extends north from the Gulf of Aqaba to a line from the southern end of the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean, passing just south of Beersheba.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The chief river of Israel is the Jordan. It descends from Mount Hermon on the Lebanon-Syrian border to Lake Tiberias, some 209 m (686 ft) below sea level, and ultimately into the Dead Sea, approximately 395 m (1,296 ft) below sea level, the lowest point in Israel.

The coastline of Israel has few indentations. The only natural harbour on the Mediterranean is Haifa, on the Bay of Haifa. A new port, Ashdod, has been created in the south.

B

Climate

The climate of Israel is generally of the Mediterranean subtropical type, with rainfall generally limited to the winter months. In January temperatures average 9° C (48° F) in Jerusalem and 14° C (57° F) in Tel Aviv-Yafo. In July the average temperature is 23° C (73° F) in Jerusalem and 27° C (81° F) in Tel Aviv-Yafo. Rainfall is poorly distributed, varying from about 1,015 mm (40 in) annually in Galilee to about 541 mm (21‚ in) in Tel Aviv-Yafo and approximately 25 mm (1 in) at the southern port of Elat.