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Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia.It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Red Sea to the south, Egypt to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest.
Italy resumes UNRWA funding for Palestinians
Reuters Videos47 minutes agoSTORY: Italy became the latest country on Saturday (May 25) to resume funding for the United Nations' Palestinian relief organization UNRWA. It made the announcement on a visit to Rome by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Mustafa that Italy supported efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and improved humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, her office said in a statement. Italy was one of a number of countries to block aid for UNRWA following accusations by Israel that some of the agency's staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war. The step came a day after judges at the U.N.'s World Court ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani announced a 35 million euro, or $38 million, aid package for the Palestinians, of which five million euros would go to UNRWA projects. UNRWA employs 13,000 people in Gaza, running the enclave's schools, its primary healthcare clinics and other social services, and distributing humanitarian aid. It has set out an action plan to better ensure its impartiality, strengthen internal reviews, and improve how its staff are monitored. In recent weeks, several countries have resumed funding the agency, including Austria and Germany.
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- 1:43Italy resumes UNRWA funding for PalestiniansReuters VideosSTORY: Italy became the latest country on Saturday (May 25) to resume funding for the United Nations' Palestinian relief organization UNRWA. It made the announcement on a visit to Rome by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Mustafa that Italy supported efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and improved humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, her office said in a statement. Italy was one of a number of countries to block aid for UNRWA following accusations by Israel that some of the agency's staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war. The step came a day after judges at the U.N.'s World Court ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani announced a 35 million euro, or $38 million, aid package for the Palestinians, of which five million euros would go to UNRWA projects. UNRWA employs 13,000 people in Gaza, running the enclave's schools, its primary healthcare clinics and other social services, and distributing humanitarian aid. It has set out an action plan to better ensure its impartiality, strengthen internal reviews, and improve how its staff are monitored. In recent weeks, several countries have resumed funding the agency, including Austria and Germany.47 minutes ago
- 2:17Top U.N. court orders Israel to halt military offensive in RafahCBS News VideosThe International Court of Justice, the top United Nations court, has ordered Israel to halt its military operations in Rafah, and is repeating its demands that Hamas release all the hostages. Imtiaz Tyab reports on Israel's response from East Jerusalem.15 hours ago
- 4:46Latest on Israel-Hamas war as U.N. court orders end of Rafah operationsCBS News VideosThe International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top judicial body, has ordered Israel to pause all operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces say they have recovered the bodies of three more hostages killed in the initial Hamas attack on Oct. 7. CBS News national security contributor Sam Vinograd joins to discuss the latest developments in the war.16 hours ago
- 1:04World Court ruling on Israel difficult to enforce, analysts sayReuters VideosSTORY: :: Enforcement of a World Court ruling ordering Israel to halt its assault on Rafah could be hard to enforce, analysts say :: May 24, 2024 :: Heidi Matthews, Assistant law professor, York University “The court itself doesn't have any enforcement powers, so it's the highest judicial body of the United Nations, but it doesn't have, you know, its own police or military force that would perform that kind of enforcement. What it does have pursuant to the U.N. charter is resort to the security Council." // "And so that's the option. Clearly, the big problem with that is the U.S. veto on the Security Council." :: Kenneth Roth, Former executive director of Human Rights Watch “South Africa used genocide because that was its jurisdiction hook, that's how it could get before the International Court of Justice. And indeed, there is a very credible case of genocide. But the court will not resolve that case on the merits for some time to come. Today's ruling was just a preliminary ruling, which it has a very low threshold of proof. But we should not let the genocide debate deter us from focusing on the other serious war crimes and crimes against humanity that quite clearly are going on." Reading out the ruling, World Court president Nawaf Salam said the situation in the Palestinian enclave had deteriorated since the court last ordered Israel to take steps to improve it, and conditions had been met for a new emergency order. Israel launched its air and ground war on Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. More than 35,000 Palestinians have since been killed in the offensive, Gaza's health ministry says. Under the U.N. charter the U.N. Security Council could compel enforcement of the ICJ ruling, Matthews said, but it would likely face opposition from the United States which frequently uses its veto power to support Israel.16 hours ago
- 4:20Why the U.N.'s top court is demanding Israel halt Rafah operationsCBS News VideosThe International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza's southern city of Rafah. Israel has not heeded the ruling and defended its military response to the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas. CBS News foreign correspondent Imtiaz Tyab has more.20 hours ago
- 1:38Israeli troops have recovered bodies of 3 more hostages from GazaABC News VideosThe bodies of the three hostages who Hamas terrorists murdered on Oct. 7 have now been returned to Israel for burial.21 hours ago
- 0:44ICJ ruling 'not enough' say pro-Palestinian protestersReuters VideosSTORY: :: Pro-Palestinian protesters say the International Court of Justice’s ruling is ‘not enough’ :: after the UN's top court ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah :: The Hague, Netherlands :: May 24, 2024 :: ML Hagui, Protester “Today’s hearing is good, but it’s not enough, it’s not enough. We are looking for a free Palestine without any problems, and you see that more than 15,000 children have died. What do you want more? Only a free Palestine, also a free two-state solution is enough.” :: Eman Khasawneh, Protester “Yes, we appreciate the halt in Rafah operations, but that’s not merely enough. That’s signaling to us that the rest of Gaza is fair game, and that’s absolutely not OK. We demand a ceasefire.” Judges at the top United Nations court ordered Israel on Friday to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide. The court also ordered Israel to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza to allow in humanitarian aid, and said it must provide access to the besieged enclave for investigators and report back on its progress within one month. Israel has repeatedly dismissed the case's accusations of genocide as baseless, arguing in court that its operations in Gaza are self-defense and targeted at Hamas militants who attacked Israel on Oct. 7.22 hours ago
- 3:24World Court orders Israel to halt Rafah assaultReuters VideosSTORY: The U.N.'s top court has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on Rafah in southern Gaza. It is a landmark emergency ruling made as part of South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide. The International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, has no means to enforce its order. However, the decision is a stark sign of Israel's growing global isolation over its devastating campaign in Gaza. That's particularly since it began its offensive against Rafah this month, against the pleas of its closest ally, the United States. On Friday (May 24), World Court President Nawaf Salam said conditions had deteriorated in the Palestinian enclave since the court last ordered Israel to take steps to improve it. "The court is not convinced that the evacuation efforts and related measures that Israel affirms to have undertaken to enhance the security of civilians in the Gaza strip, and in particular those recently displaced from the Rafah governorate, are sufficient to alleviate the immense risk to which the Palestinian population is exposed as a result of the military offensive in Rafah." Israel launched its air and ground war on Gaza after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel last year, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive. Rafah, Israel says, is serving as a stronghold for thousands of Hamas fighters and senior commanders. It began its armored attack on the city earlier this month - forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee. Rafah had become a refuge for around half Gaza's 2.3 million population. It's also been the main route in for aid. International organizations say Israel's operation has cut off Gaza and raised the risk of famine. "...the humanitarian situation is now to be characterised as disastrous." The World Court ordered Israel to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza to allow in humanitarian aid. Israel must also provide access for investigators, it added, and report back on its progress within one month. South Africa's international relations department welcomed the ruling as "groundbreaking", saying it is the first time "explicit mention is made for Israel to halt its military action in any area of Gaza." Israel has repeatedly dismissed the South African case's accusations of genocide as baseless. It argues its operations are self-defense and targeted at Hamas militants. On the eve of Friday's decision an Israeli government spokesperson said that "no power on Earth will stop Israel from protecting its citizens and going after Hamas in Gaza."22 hours ago
- 0:31Top UN court orders Israel to halt military operation in Rafah; Israel is unlikely to complyAssociated Press VideosThe top United Nations court has ordered Israel to halt its military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israel insists it has the right to defend itself from Hamas militants and is unlikely to comply with the ruling.1 day ago
- 4:543 more bodies of Israeli hostages recoveredABC News VideosThe bodies of the three hostages, who were murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, have now been returned to Israel for burial.1 day ago
- 2:56Video of female Israeli soldiers' abduction airedReuters VideosSTORY: Israeli television aired footage on Wednesday of five female army conscripts in their pajamas being seized by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 raid that triggered the Gaza war. The captives' families agreed to air the previously withheld clips, in hope of stepping up pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a truce with Hamas and secure the hostages' release. Among the conscripts is 19-year-old Naama Levy, seen here with her face bloodied, speaking to her captors. The gunmen order Levy and her group to sit against a wall, their hands bound. Some of the clips show exchanges in English. In one, a militant is heard calling the female captives "the cheap ones" in Arabic. While another tells a captive she is beautiful. The young women are later shown being bundled into jeeps and taken away. "Very hard, emotionally..." Levy's brother Amit told Reuters the videos were tough to watch. "But, also watching my little sister handles such an inhumane situation in such a way, she really looks like a superhero to me. And it also gives me and my whole family strength to see her this way, to see the other girls this way... But I know that her time is running out... A deal needs to happen soon." He and relatives of other hostages travelled to London, where they showed Britain's deputy prime minister the video and lobbied for support to bring home their loved ones. "It feels like more than ever things are getting a bit further away, the world forgets. Also maybe the Israeli government needs a reminder of what's the most important thing right now." Levy is part of the Hostages Families Forum, which represents relatives of the 124 people - mostly civilians - believed to still be held by Hamas. The group said the footage came from bodycams worn by gunmen who attacked the army base in southern Israel, where the women served as surveillance spotters. In a statement, it said: "The Israeli government must not waste another moment; it must return to the negotiating table today!" Within hours of its release, Netanyahu's security cabinet convened and authorized an effort to renew the talks, according to an Israeli official. The government also saw the release of the video as an opportunity to shore up support. A spokesperson told reporters, "Watch the film. Support Israel in bringing our people home." Hamas called it a bid to manipulate public opinion, and said the female soldiers were treated "according to the ethics of [their] resistance". Israel's foreign ministry said it would show the video to the ambassadors of Ireland, Norway and Spain. The ministry had summoned them to protest their governments' plans to recognize a Palestinian state.1 day ago
- 0:34US Speaker Johnson says Netanyahu to address CongressReuters VideosSTORY: :: Mike Johnson says Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu will soon address a joint meeting of Congress :: May 23, 2024 :: Washington, D.C. :: Mike Johnson, U.S. House Speaker "Today, as international bureaucrats have issued arrest warrants for Israel's leaders and likened Israel's just war to the barbarism of October 7th, Washington has been united, I'm proud to tell you in a bipartisan manner against this madness." "Tonight, I'm happy to announce something else to you that we will soon be hosting Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Capitol for a joint session of Congress. Yes, this will be a timely and I think a very strong show of support to the Israeli government in their time of greatest need." Delivering a keynote speech at the Israeli embassy's annual Independence Day reception, Johnson, the top congressional Republican and a critic of the Democratic president’s Israel policy, said it would be “a strong show of support for the Israeli government in their time of greatest need.” Such a speech is sure to further anger some progressive Democrats who are increasingly critical of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and Biden's support for it. The diplomatic gathering came amid strains between Biden and Netanyahu over a U.S. push for Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians in the war against Hamas militants in Gaza. Previous U.S. administrations have usually sent a high-level official to the Independence Day receptions, reflecting Israel's status as Washington’s top Middle East ally.1 day ago
- 0:50Smoke seen rising on the Gaza skyline as the war between Israel and Hamas continuesAssociated Press VideosSmoke was seen rising over the Gaza Strip on Friday morning as the Israel-Hamas war rages on across the Palestinian enclave.1 day ago
- 0:21Israeli video said to show aid trucks on Gaza pierReuters VideosSTORY: :: Israeli video said to show aid trucks arriving in Gaza via a U.S.-built floating pier :: May 23, 2024 :: Near Gaza Coast COGAT is an Israeli Defence Ministry agency tasked with coordinating aid deliveries into Palestinian territories. Reuters was able to confirm the location from the terrain layout which matched satellite imagery of the area. Reuters was not able to independently verify the date the video was filmed. COGAT said they were working in cooperation with the Israeli navy and the U.S. to operate the pier adding that on Wednesday (May 22) “27 trucks containing 371 pallets,” were transported to the logistics centers of international aid agencies. Israel is retaliating against Hamas in Gaza - an enclave of 2.3 million people - over a brutal Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militants. Aid access into southern Gaza has been disrupted since Israel stepped up military operations in Rafah, a move that the U.N. says has forced 900,000 people to flee and has raised tensions with Egypt.2 days ago
- 4:19Israel's war cabinet orders negotiators to resume hostage release talksCBS News VideosIsrael's war cabinet is ordering negotiators to restart hostage release talks with Hamas. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab reports.2 days ago
- 3:45ICC Netanyahu warrant a quandary for Israel's alliesReuters VideosSTORY: International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan's request for an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu creates a quandary for Israel's allies: How can they support Israel and the ICC? ANTONY BLINKEN: "Extremely wrongheaded." RISHI SUNAK: "This is a deeply unhelpful development." Khan's move was the first attempt to go after a sitting, Western-backed head of state. He requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza war. ICC judges must still sign off on it. :: A difficult balance Many European countries support the ICC and also send military support to Israel. Germany has already had to defend its policy of supplying arms to Israel at another international court in The Hague. Tom Buitelaar of the Netherlands' Leiden University says that balance could become hard to maintain. "It's going to be very difficult to say 'we are supporting Israel unconditionally, and we feel that this is the party that we should be supporting in this war' because now the ICC has made a certain declaration, and a certain attack against the legitimacy of the Israeli war effort in Gaza." If warrants are issued, member states would be obliged to detain Netanyahu or Gallant if they got the chance. Buitelaar said governments failing to obey could face legal challenges in their own courts. "It might be challenged though from the domestic level, because many states have implemented the Rome Statute, the important founding treaty of the International Criminal Court, into their domestic laws, which means that parties here could also be challenging, for example the Dutch state, the Dutch government, for a breach of international law if it doesn't arrest the prime minister of Israel in this case." :: Upholding other rulings And then there's the difficulty of upholding some ICC rulings but not others. The United States, like Israel itself, is not a member of the court. But it has supported past prosecutions, for example last year's arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine. This time though, U.S. President Joe Biden called the request "outrageous." Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration is willing to work with Congress to potentially impose sanctions on ICC officials. :: European divisions The ICC step has exposed divisions among European ICC members. France, Ireland and Spain were among supporters of the decision. The French Foreign Ministry backed quote, "the fight against impunity in all situations." While Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz said: "International law must apply to everyone." Anthony Dworkin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations: "I think the most important principle at this point is that European countries should not do anything to try and undermine, attack or block, or politically influence the operations of the Court, and I hope that they would consider ultimately that the actions of the Court could be helpful in terms of trying to bring an end to any crimes that are being committed there..." The exposed divisions reflect a deeper international schism over the Palestinians' longtime quest for statehood. This moved to the forefront on Wednesday (May 21) when Ireland, Norway and Spain said they would recognize a Palestinian state.2 days ago
- 0:48Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei meets Haniyeh in Tehran, says elimination of Israel 'feasible'Associated Press VideosIran's supreme leader told Hamas' top leader Ismail Haniyeh that the elimination of Israel was a divine promise and is feasible. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the comments during a meeting with the acting President Mohammad Mokhber on Wednesday in Tehran.2 days ago
- 1:57In historic move, Ireland, Spain and Norway will recognize a Palestinian stateAssociated Press VideosNorway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they would recognize a Palestinian state, a historic but largely symbolic move that further deepens Israel’s isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza. Israel immediately denounced the decisions and recalled its ambassadors to the three countries.3 days ago
- 1:30Norway, Ireland and Spain say they will recognize a Palestinian state - AP explainsAssociated Press VideosNorway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they would recognize a Palestinian state, a historic but largely symbolic move that further deepens Israel’s isolation more than seven months into its grinding war against Hamas in Gaza.3 days ago
- 2:39Norway, Ireland, Spain to recognize Palestinian stateReuters VideosSTORY: SIMON HARRIS: "Today, Ireland, Norway, and Spain are announcing that we recognize the state of Palestine." Ireland, Spain and Norway announced on Wednesday (May 22) that they would recognize a Palestinian state on May 28, urging other Western countries to follow suit. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the three countries hoped the step would accelerate efforts to secure a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. Israel immediately recalled its ambassadors. Earlier in May, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a Palestinian bid to become a full member, which would effectively recognize a Palestinian state. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris: "I'm confident that further countries will join us in taking this important step in the coming weeks. This is an historic and important day for Ireland and for Palestine." The decision was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli occupied West Bank, and by Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. But Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the recognition undermined Israel's right to self-defense and efforts to return the 128 hostages being held by Hamas. Sanchez said Israel had a right to respond to the militant group's October 7 attack on southern Israel, when 1,200 people were killed according to Israeli tallies. But not as it had in Gaza. "And if one thing is clear to me, it is that Prime Minister Netanyahu has no peace project for Palestine. Fighting the terrorist group is legitimate and necessary after the events of 7 October. But Netanyahu is creating so much pain and so much destruction and so much rancour in Gaza and the rest of Palestine that the viability of a two-state solution is in serious danger." At a pro-Palestinian solidarity camp in Madrid, students mostly welcomed the announcement but warned it wasn't enough. Daniel Mair-Richard: “These are empty words. It does us no good to recognize the Palestinian state if you continue to sell arms to Israel when a genocide is taking place. We demand an end to these empty gestures and call for the immediate cut-off of relations with Israel now and stop the arms trade because genocide is being committed with these weapons and we do not want to be complicit in genocide.” European states have varied in approach - France said on Wednesday conditions were not yet met to recognize Palestine as a state.3 days ago
- 3:35Blinken speaks at House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on 2025 budgetABC News VideosSome House Republicans expressed deep disagreements with how the Biden administration has handled the Israel-Hamas war.3 days ago
- 4:34Netanyahu criticizes ICC, vows to press on in RafahCBS News VideosHundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled for safety to Gaza's southern city of Rafah are again being displaced as Israel vows to expand its military offensive there. CBS News' Imitaz Tyab breaks down the latest moves in the Israel-Hamas war.4 days ago
- 0:36ICC's arrest requests 'wrong-headed' -BlinkenReuters VideosSTORY: :: Blinken blasts ICC move seeking arrest warrants for Israeli leaders :: Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State "The extremely wrong-headed decision by the ICC prosecutor yesterday. The shameful equivalence implied between Hamas and the leadership of Israel, I think that only complicates the prospects of getting such an agreement. We'll continue to forge ahead to do that. But that decision, as you said, on so many levels is totally wrong-headed. And we'll be happy to work with Congress, with this committee on an appropriate response." :: Washington :: May 21, 2024 Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Blinken said the Biden administration would be happy to work with Congress to formulate an appropriate response to the ICC's request to issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders. "We'll be happy to work with Congress, with this committee, on an appropriate response" to the ICC move, Blinken said on Tuesday. He did not say what a response to the ICC move might include. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said on Monday he had reasonable grounds to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's defense chief and three Hamas leaders "bear criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity." Washington roundly criticized Khan's announcement, arguing the court does not have jurisdiction over the Gaza conflict and raising concerns over process. The United States is not a member of the court, but has supported past prosecutions, including the ICC's decision last year to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.4 days ago
- 1:35Eye Opener: Judge clears court in Donald Trump's hush money trialCBS News VideosA stunning day in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial: The judge clears the court over the behavior of a witness. Also, International Criminal Court prosecutors seek arrest warrants for leaders of Hamas and Israel, alleging war crimes. All that and all that matters in today's Eye Opener.4 days ago
- 0:31ICC announcement 'deeply unhelpful' says UK's SunakReuters VideosSTORY: :: The UK's Prime Minister says the ICC prosecutor seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders is 'unhelpful' :: May 21, 2024 :: Vienna, Austria Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister "Well, this is a deeply unhelpful development. Of course, it's still subject to a final decision, but it remains deeply unhelpful nonetheless. There is no moral equivalence between a democratic state exercising its lawful right to self-defence and the terrorist group Hamas. And it's wrong to conflate and, as I said, equivocate between those two different entities. And what I'm very clear (on) is that this will make absolutely no difference in getting a pause in the fighting, getting aid into the region, or indeed the hostages out." The ICC's prosecutor said on Monday (May 20) he had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense chief and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement issued after more than seven months of war in Gaza that he had reasonable grounds to believe the five men "bear criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. A panel of pre-trial judges will determine whether the evidence supports the arrest warrants. But the court has no means to enforce such warrants, and its investigation into the Gaza war has been opposed by the United States and Israel. Israel and Palestinian leaders have dismissed allegations of war crimes, and representatives for both sides criticized Khan's decision.4 days ago
1 day ago · The web page covers the latest articles on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as well as other topics related to Israel and the Middle East. Read about the hostage deal, the IDF offensive, the US role, the diplomatic tensions and more.
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Israel, country in the Middle East, located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bounded to the north by Lebanon, to the northeast by Syria, to the east and southeast by Jordan, to the southwest by Egypt, and to the west by the Mediterranean Sea. Jerusalem is the seat of government and the proclaimed capital, although the latter status has not received wide international recognition.
Israel is a small country with a relatively diverse topography, consisting of a lengthy coastal plain, highlands in the north and central regions, and the Negev desert in the south. Running the length of the country from north to south along its eastern border is the northern terminus of the Great Rift Valley.
The State of Israel is the only Jewish nation in the modern period, and the region that now falls within its borders has a lengthy and rich history that dates from prebiblical times. The area was a part of the Roman Empire and, later, the Byzantine Empire before falling under the control of the fledgling Islamic caliphate in the 7th century ce. Although the object of dispute during the Crusades, the region, then generally known as Palestine, remained under the sway of successive Islamic dynasties until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, when it was placed under British mandate from the League of Nations.
Even before the mandate, the desire for a Jewish homeland prompted a small number of Jews to immigrate to Palestine, a migration that grew dramatically during the second quarter of the 20th century with the increased persecution of Jews worldwide and subsequent Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. This vast influx of Jewish immigrants into the region, however, caused tension with the native Palestinian Arabs, and violence flared between the two groups leading up to the United Nations plan to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab sectors and Israel’s ensuing declaration of statehood on May 14, 1948.
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Despite its small size, about 290 miles (470 km) north-to-south and 85 miles (135 km) east-to-west at its widest point, Israel has four geographic regions—the Mediterranean coastal plain, the hill regions of northern and central Israel, the Great Rift Valley, and the Negev—and a wide range of unique physical features and microclimates.
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The coastal plain is a narrow strip about 115 miles (185 km) long that widens to about 25 miles (40 km) in the south. A sandy shoreline with many beaches borders the Mediterranean coast. Inland to the east, fertile farmland is giving way to growing agricultural settlements and the cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa and their suburbs.
In the north of the country, the mountains of Galilee constitute the highest part of Israel, reaching an elevation of 3,963 feet (1,208 metres) at Mount Meron (Arabic: Jebel Jarmaq). These mountains terminate to the east in an escarpment overlooking the Great Rift Valley. The mountains of Galilee are separated from the hills of the Israeli-occupied West Bank to the south by the fertile Plain of Esdraelon (Hebrew: ʿEmeq Yizreʿel), which, running approximately northwest to southeast, connects the coastal plain with the Great Rift Valley. The Mount Carmel range, which culminates in a peak 1,791 feet (546 metres) high, forms a spur reaching northwest from the highlands of the West Bank, cutting almost to the coast of Haifa.
The Great Rift Valley, a long fissure in Earth’s crust, begins beyond the northern frontier of Israel and forms a series of valleys running generally south, the length of the country, to the Gulf of Aqaba. The Jordan River, which marks part of the frontier between Israel and Jordan, flows southward through the rift from Dan on Israel’s northern frontier, where it is 500 feet (152 metres) above sea level, first into the Ḥula Valley (Hebrew: ʿEmeq HaḤula), then into the freshwater Lake Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: Yam Kinneret), which lies 686 feet (209 metres) below sea level. The Jordan continues south along the eastern edge of the West Bank—now through the Jordan Valley (Hebrew: ʿEmeq HaYarden)—and finally into the highly saline Dead Sea, which, at 1,312 feet (400 metres) below sea level, is the lowest point of a natural landscape feature on the Earth’s surface. South of the Dead Sea, the Jordan continues through the rift, where it now forms the ʿArava Valley (Hebrew: “savannah”), an arid plain that extends to the Red Sea port of Eilat.
The principal drainage system comprises Lake Tiberias and the Jordan River. Other rivers in Israel are the Yarqon, which empties into the Mediterranean near Tel Aviv; the Qishon, which runs through the western part of the Plain of Esdraelon to drain into the Mediterranean at Haifa; and a small section of the Yarmūk, a tributary of the Jordan that f...
The coastal plain is covered mainly by alluvial soils. Parts of the arid northern Negev, where soil development would not be expected, have windblown loess soils because of proximity to the coastal plain. The soils of Galilee change from calcareous rock in the coastal plain, to Cenomanian and Turonian limestone (deposited from about 99 to 89 millio...
The State of Israel was proclaimed in 1948, and Egypt, Transjordan (later Jordan), Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq immediately declared war on it. Israel won that war ( see Arab-Israeli wars) as well as the 1967 Six-Day War, in which it occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and east Jerusalem.
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Red Sea to the south, Egypt to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest.
Oct 13, 2023 · Israel's press and broadcasters are many and varied, reflecting differences in language, political viewpoint and religious outlook. TV is the leading medium and commercial networks top the ratings.
23 hours ago · The Israeli military said its forces recovered the bodies of three hostages overnight in northern Gaza, adding that they were killed during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and carried to Gaza.