2009 Israel

Israel
center|Flag
center|Location
Capital: Jerusalem
Official Language: Hebrew, Arabic, English
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Head of State: Shimon Peres, 2007-
Head of Government: Effi Eitan, August 2011-
Formation: 	May 14, 1948
Population: 7,282,000 (2008)
Currency: 	Israeli new sheqel (₪‎) (ILS)
Human Rights Record: Wikipedia article
Territorial Disputes: Yes.
Ongoing Conflicts: Yes.
Welcome to the international embassy of Israel.
=Government of Israel=
Portfolio 	Name	Party
President 	 	
Prime Minister 	 	
Vice Prime Minister 	 	
Deputy Prime Minister 	 	
Deputy Prime Minister 	 	
Minister of Communications 	 	
Minister of Culture and Sport 	 	
Minister of Defense 	 	
Minister of Education 	 	
Minister of Finance 	 	
Minister of Foreign Affairs 	 	
Minister of Internal Affairs 	 	
Minister of Internal Security 	 	
Minister of Justice 	 	
Minister of Religious Services 	 	
Minister of Science and Technology 	 	
Minister of Welfare and Social Services	 	
=Diplomatic Relations=
Nation currently enjoys diplomatic relations with (List)
Nation is a member of (List)
Nation is a signatory to the following treaties (list)
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=Summary=
Israel (Hebrew: יִשְרָאֵל‎, Yisra'el; Arabic: إسرائيل‎, Isrā'īl) officially the State of Israel (Hebrew: מְדִינַת יִשְרָאֵל‎ (help•info), Medinat Yisra'el; Arabic: دَوْلَةْ إِسْرَائِيل‎, Dawlat Isrā'īl), is a country in Western Asia located on the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are also adjacent. With a population of about 7.28 million, the majority of whom are Jews, Israel is the world's only Jewish state. It is also home to Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Samaritans, as well as other religious and ethnic minority groups.
Israel is a representative democracy with a parliamentary system and universal suffrage.The Prime Minister serves as head of government and the Knesset serves as Israel's legislative body. In terms of nominal gross domestic product, the nation's economy is estimated as being the 44th-largest in the world. Israel ranks high among Middle Eastern countries on the bases of human development, freedom of the press, and economic competitiveness. Jerusalem is the country's capital, seat of government, and largest city, while Israel's main financial center is Tel Aviv.
=Brief History=
The modern state of Israel has its roots in the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael), a concept central to Judaism for over 3000 years. After World War I, the League of Nations approved the British Mandate of Palestine with the intent of creating a "national home for the Jewish people." In 1947, the United Nations approved the partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. On May 14, 1948 the state of Israel declared independence in accordance with the UN decision and this was followed by a war with the surrounding Arab states, which refused to accept the plan. The Israelis were subsequently victorious in a series of wars confirming their independence and expanding the borders of the Jewish state beyond those in the UN Partition Plan. Since then, Israel has been in conflict with many of the neighboring Arab countries, resulting in several major wars and decades of violence that continue to this day. Since its foundation, Israel's boundaries and even the State's very right to exist have been subject to dispute, especially among its Arab neighbours. However, Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, and efforts are being made to reach a permanent accord with the Palestinians.
=Resources=
*Israel on Wikipedia
*Israel on the BBC
*Israel on the CIA world factbook
*Homepage of the Israeli government