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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 ...
White House sees no genocide in Gaza
Reuters Videos3 hours agoSTORY: ::The Biden administration says it does not view the killings of Palestinians in Gaza as 'genocide' ::May 13, 2024 :: Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor / White House "We believe Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and well-being of innocent civilians. We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. We have been firmly on record rejecting that proposition." "We have paused the shipment of £2,000 bombs because we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated cities. We are talking to the Israeli government about this. We still believe it would be a mistake to launch a major military operation into the heart of Rafah. That would put huge numbers of civilians at risk without a clear strategic gain. The president was clear that he would not supply certain offensive weapons for such an operation were it to occur." Sullivan, speaking to reporters at the White House, said the United States wants to see Hamas defeated, that Palestinians caught in the middle of the war were in "hell," and that a major military operation by Israel in Rafah would be a mistake. Biden, who is running for reelection this year, has faced heavy criticism from his own supporters domestically for his support of Israel; some of those critics have accused Israel of committing genocide. More than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died, according to Gaza health officials.
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- 00:44White House sees no genocide in GazaReuters VideosSTORY: ::The Biden administration says it does not view the killings of Palestinians in Gaza as 'genocide' ::May 13, 2024 :: Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor / White House "We believe Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and well-being of innocent civilians. We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. We have been firmly on record rejecting that proposition." "We have paused the shipment of £2,000 bombs because we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated cities. We are talking to the Israeli government about this. We still believe it would be a mistake to launch a major military operation into the heart of Rafah. That would put huge numbers of civilians at risk without a clear strategic gain. The president was clear that he would not supply certain offensive weapons for such an operation were it to occur." Sullivan, speaking to reporters at the White House, said the United States wants to see Hamas defeated, that Palestinians caught in the middle of the war were in "hell," and that a major military operation by Israel in Rafah would be a mistake. Biden, who is running for reelection this year, has faced heavy criticism from his own supporters domestically for his support of Israel; some of those critics have accused Israel of committing genocide. More than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died, according to Gaza health officials.3 hours ago
- 00:57White House: Palestinian civilians caught in Gaza war are 'in hell'; Israel not committing genocideYahoo News VideoSpeaking to the press on Monday, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Palestinian civilians who are caught up in the war between Israel and Hamas are "in hell." Sullivan also said that while the White House believes that Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians, "We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide."6 hours ago
- 00:28Israeli protesters block aid convoy headed to GazaReuters VideosSTORY: :: Israeli protesters block an aid convoy heading to Gaza :: Tarqumiya checkpoint, West Bank :: May 13, 2024 :: Four protesters, including a minor, were arrested, according to lawyers representing them Videos circulated on social media showed protesters throwing supplies from the trucks on to the ground, with the contents of opened cartons lying spilled across the road. The video was verified by buildings, signs and hills seen in the footage which match file imagery of the checkpoint. Separate visuals from the same location also show the same truck being unloaded, which corroborates the video. Last week, four people were arrested in southern Israel after a similar protest by Israelis who object to delivering humanitarian supplies into an area controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas, according to their lawyers. The protests came as Israel has faced heavy international pressure to step up the flow of aid into Gaza, where international organizations have warned of a severe humanitarian crisis threatening a population of more than 2 million people.11 hours ago
- 00:47Netanyahu, ministers heckled at Memorial Day ceremoniesReuters VideosSTORY: :: Israel's prime minister and his cabinet ministers are heckled during Memorial Day ceremonies :: May 13, 2024 :: Jerusalem :: Ashdod, Israel :: Tel Aviv, Israel A person called Netanyahu "garbage" as he ended his speech addressing bereaved families in Jerusalem. Separately, a woman shouted at a far-right member of Netanyahu's cabinet, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as he took to the stand to address a military ceremony in the southern city of Ashdod. The woman pointed at him and shouted, "He's a criminal." Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was confronted with a sign in Tel Aviv that read, "Their blood is on your hands." Some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 kidnapped on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, a further 273 Israeli soldiers have died, mostly in an assault on Gaza that Palestinian medics say has killed more than 35,000 people. Despite his image as a security hawk, Netanyahu has struggled with a widespread perception that he was to blame for the security failures that allowed Hamas to overwhelm Israel's defences around Gaza.11 hours ago
- 01:00Tents crowd Mediterranean shore of Deir al-Balah as more Palestinian displaced arriveAssociated Press VideosDeir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip has offered refuge for Palestinians escaping the war between Israel and Hamas in the besieged territory. Thousands of displaced from nearby Gaza City and the northern part of the Strip have set up sprawling tented settlements in the town, including along the Mediterranean Sea shore. (AP video by Abd Al Kareem Hana / Production by Wafaa Shurafa)1 day ago
- 02:03Residents Flee Rafah as Israeli Military Operation IntensifiesWSJIsrael’s leaders have said the military needs to move into Rafah to dismantle the remaining battalions of Hamas. Photo: Hatem Khaled/Reuters1 day ago
- 01:31Open: This is "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 12, 2024CBS News VideosThis week on "Face the Nation," Secretary of State Antony Blinken joins Margaret Brennan as America's relationship with Israel faces a serious stress test this week, with a new U.S. report that says it is "reasonable to assess" that Israel violated international law in its war with Hamas. Plus, a story about how a group of special operations veterans helped a fellow service member's family get their mother out of war-torn Gaza.2 days ago
- 02:04Israel sends tanks to Jabalia, ups pressure on RafahReuters VideosSTORY: Israel sent tanks into eastern Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday (May 12). This comes after a night of heavy aerial and ground bombardments, killing and wounding dozens, the Hamas-run health ministry said. Jabalia is the biggest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps and is home to more than 100,000 people. :: Israeli Army Late on Saturday, Israel’s military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said its forces operating in Jabalia were preventing Hamas from re-establishing its military capabilities there. Also late on Saturday, an air strike hit Deir al-Balah, killing at least eight people, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Palestinians displaced for a second time attempted to set up tents there as Israel proceeds with its plans for a ground attack on Rafah. More families, estimated in the thousands, were leaving Rafah as Israel’s military pressure intensified. Tank shells landed across the city as the army gave new evacuation orders covering some neighborhoods in the center of the city, calling for Gazans to head to what it calls an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi. The armed wing of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said their fighters attacked Israeli forces in several areas inside Gaza with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs. Outside of Gaza, a rocket directly struck a house in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon on Sunday. Israel's military operation in Gaza has killed close to 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Egypt's Foreign Minister said on Sunday that Cairo would continue its mediation between Israel and Hamas and urged the two sides to show the flexibility and the will needed to reach a ceasefire deal.2 days ago
- 01:10On Israel's memorial day, one family desperately seeks closureAssociated Press VideosRuby and Hagit Chen are still waiting to bury their son. Itay was killed in Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7. But unlike scores of other families of soldiers killed that day, Chen doesn’t have a grave to visit because his son’s remains are held captive in Gaza. The absence of a final resting place is being felt acutely now, as Israel marks its memorial day for fallen soldiers, when cemeteries are brimming with relatives mourning over the graves of their loved ones. (AP Video shot by Moshe Edri and Ami Bentov)2 days ago
- 00:54Thousands protest against Israel's Eurovision entryReuters VideosSTORY: :: Thousands protest against Israel's participation in the Eurovision song contest :: May 11, 2024 :: Malmo, Sweden The 68th version of the contest, normally a festival of catchy songs and tongue-in-cheek kitsch, is taking place amid protests in host city Malmo over the participation of Israel, due to its war in Gaza. Eurovision organizers have resisted calls for Israel to be excluded, but demanded that Israel tweak the lyrics of its original entry to remove what they said were references to Palestinian group Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which sparked its war on Gaza. Protesters have complained of double standards as the European Broadcasting Union banned Russia from Eurovision in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine.3 days ago
- 02:06Israel calls on more people to evacuate Gaza's RafahReuters VideosSTORY: Smoke rises over Rafah on Saturday as Israel calls for Palestinians to evacuate and head to what it calls an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi. It's a further indication that the military is pressing ahead with its plans for a ground attack on Gaza’s southern city. That's despite heavy U.S. pressure and alarm expressed by residents and humanitarian groups. In a post on social media site X, a military spokesperson called on residents and displaced people in 12 neighborhoods in the enclave to go immediately to the shelters west of Gaza City. Gaza resident Nidal says despite the warning he is unable to evacuate. He told Reuters he doesn't have a tent as they were all distributed yesterday - nor does he have cash to get a vehicle to move his belongings. These evacuations follow overnight Israeli jet strikes across the enclave. Israel's military said it was continuing precise operational activity against Hamas fighters in eastern Rafah and on the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing. On Friday (May 10), Israeli tanks captured the main road dividing Rafah's eastern and western sections, effectively encircling the eastern side in an assault that has caused Washington to hold up delivery of some military aid to its ally. :: May 9, 2024 The latest evacuation orders came hours after internationally mediated ceasefire talks appeared to falter, with Hamas saying Israel's rejection of the truce offer returned things to square one. Israel says it wants to reach a deal under which hostages would be released in exchange for the freeing of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, but that it is not prepared to end the military offensive which was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel on Oct. 7. 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people taken hostage in the attack, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's military operation in Gaza, which it says aims to eliminate Hamas, has killed close to 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.3 days ago
- 00:50Palestinians mourn those killed in Israeli airstrikesReuters VideosSTORY: : Palestinians hold funerals for loved ones killed during overnight Israeli airstrikes in Gaza :: Deir Al-Balah, Gaza :: May 11, 2024 :: Khitam al-Khatib "Here they are, in pieces, here is my sister in-law, without a head, my aunt is without a head. What is this injustice? Until when will this be going on? We are exhausted, by God we are exhausted. I have been in tents for the past seven months, I have never lived in a tent before. We were not cut out for this, the women of Palestine were not cut out for this, we were always honored. It's not fair that this is happening to them, it's not fair. By God we are exhausted from this." According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, 24 Palestinians were killed overnight after Israeli jets targeted several areas in central Gaza, while at least seven were killed after the airforce targeted dozens of homes in Jabalia. Some people are still missing under the rubble. At least 34,943 Palestinians have been killed and 78,572 injured in Israel's military offensive in Gaza since Oct. 7, Gaza's health ministry said in a statement on Friday. The conflict was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel where 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 people taken hostage in the attack, according to Israeli tallies.3 days ago
- 00:57Analyst believes Eurovision's usual unifying effect may be lost this yearAssociated Press VideosHistorian and author of the book "Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest," Dean Vuletic believes the Eurovision Song Contest, where the final is to take place on Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo, brings together Europe through music although the current Israel-Hamas war could bring division. (May 11)3 days ago
- 00:54Palestinian and Israeli supporters rally in Palo AltoReuters VideosSTORY: ::Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors rally in Palo Alto during Biden's visit to the city ::May 10, 2024 ::Palo Alto, California :: Pro-Palestinian demonstrator “We're here to send a message to Biden that we will not be complicit in the genocide and famine that are being perpetrated with our bombs and our political cover.” :: Pro-Israeli demonstrator “So we are we are here, Israelis and Jewish Americans who live in the Bay Area, coming to stand by President Biden for everything he's doing for helping Israel post October 7th and beyond. We are here to say that we want a deal now and we are asking to do whatever is possible, even if it's ending the war, to actually come and make a deal now.” Palestinian supporters called on the President to advocate for a ceasefire, attributing blame to him for the loss of over 40,000 civilian lives. Conversely, Israeli supporters expressed gratitude for Biden's backing of Israel while urging him to intensify efforts to secure the release of Hamas's captives. These demonstrations coincide with widespread protests, primarily on university campuses, against Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza, which escalated following the militant group's attacks on October 7th.3 days ago
- 01:52UNGA backs Palestinian bid for membershipReuters VideosSTORY: The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a bid by Palestine to become a full U.N. member Friday, recommending the U.N. Security Council "reconsider the matter favorably." The vote serves as a global survey of support, after the United States vetoed the idea in the U.N. Security Council a month prior. The Palestinian push for full U.N. membership comes seven months into a war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and as Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the U.N. considers to be illegal. "We want peace, we want freedom." Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour spoke to the assembly before the vote: “A yes vote is a vote for Palestinian existence, it is not against any state." "It is an investment in peace, and thus empowers the forces of peace." Meanwhile, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, who spoke after Mansour, accused the assembly of shredding the U.N. Charter: “You are shredding the U.N. Charter with your own hands. Yes, yes. That's what you're doing. Shredding the U.N. Charter. Shame on you.” The vote by the General Assembly Friday does not give the Palestinians full U.N. membership, but simply recognizes them as qualified to join. An application to become a full U.N. member first needs to be approved by the 15-member Security Council and then the General Assembly. If the measure is again voted on by the council it is likely to face the same fate: a U.S. veto.3 days ago
- 01:59University of Minnesota students demand divestment in companies profiting from the Israel-Hamas warAssociated Press VideosOn Friday, students at the University of Minnesota spoke to the Board of Regents, demanding it divest from companies profiting from the Israel-Hamas war.3 days ago
- 00:54Hamas rocket attack injures one in BeershebaAssociated Press VideosIsrael's military and rescue services said Friday that a rocket attack on the southern Israeli city of Beersheva resulted in a direct hit on the city, injuring a 37-year-old woman in a playground.4 days ago
- 03:34Cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas pausedABC News VideosIsrael has indicated it plans to push forward with war operations in Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “we will do what we have to do to protect our country…”4 days ago
- 00:58Netanyahu: I hope I can patch things up with BidenReuters VideosSTORY: :: Israeli prime minister Netanyahu says he hopes he can "overcome disagreements" with Biden :: Jerusalem, Israel :: May 9, 2024 :: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister “I've known (U.S. President) Joe Biden for many years, 40 years and more. You know, we often had our agreements, but we've had our disagreements. We've been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now, but we will do what we have to do to protect our country, and that means protect our future.” :: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister “You know, we've lost hundreds of soldiers who fought bravely and fell in Gaza. And, you know, it requires continuous effort of assistance and treatment because their souls are scarred. But at the same time, we also think about the reconstruction of Gaza once we eliminate these terrorists, these terrorist thugs who are controlling it." :: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister "If Israel has to stand alone, we'll stand alone. But we also know we are not alone because we have so many decent people everywhere who do support us, who do understand the truth, and we will defeat our enemies and we will secure our future." In a CNN interview on Wednesday (May 8), Biden warned Israel that the U.S. would stop supplying weapons if Israeli forces go ahead with a major invasion of Rafah. Israel has destroyed 20 of Hamas’ 24 “terrorist” battalions, Netanyahu said in an interview on the “Dr. Phil Primetime” show on Thursday (May 9). He added that the remaining four are in Rafah, and that is why Israeli forces have to enter the area.4 days ago
- 01:21Amid protests, Israel gets spot in Eurovision finalReuters VideosSTORY: :: Israeli singer Eden Golan ‘overwhelmed’ by Eurovision qualification “Well, I feel I'm so overwhelmed with emotions. It's truly such an honour to be here on stage performing and showing our voice and representing us with pride and making it to the finals is, it's it's something crazy and I'm so grateful for everyone who voted and who took part in supporting us and me and, yeah, I'm just super excited to go on stage once more and share a bit of my love with everyone.” :: Malmo, Sweden :: May 9, 2024 OFF-CAMERA JOURNALIST: "Have you ever thought that by being here you bring risk and danger for other participants in public?" OFF-CAMERA MODERATOR SAYING: "You don't have to answer that question if you don't want to. If you want to, if you want to answer, please." GOLAN SAYING: "I think we're all here for one reason and one reason only and the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) is taking all safety precautions to make this a safe and a united place for everyone and so I think it's safe for everyone and we wouldn't be here for any other reason." Eurovision organisers have resisted calls to exclude Israel over its military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, arguing that the competition is a non-political event.4 days ago
- 00:39Netanyahu: we'll fight with 'fingernails' if needs beReuters VideosSTORY: :: Netanyahu says Israelis will "fight with our fingernails" if they have to after Biden's threat to halt arms shipments ::Location: Jerusalem ::May 9, 2024 ::Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister "We are on the eve of Independence Day. In the War of Independence 76 years ago, we were the few against the many. We did not have weapons. There was an arms embargo on Israel, but with great strength of spirit, heroism and unity among us – we were victorious. Today we are much stronger. We are determined and we are united in order to defeat our enemies and those who want to destroy us. If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone. I have said that if necessary – we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails and with that same strength of spirit, with God's help, together we will win." The comments followed U.S. President Joe Biden's warning that the United States would halt weapons supplies if Israel moved into Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Netanyahu has defied mounting international pressure to agree to a ceasefire but has not so far ordered troops to enter the city, where Israel says four battalions of Hamas fighters are based.4 days ago
- 02:13Military experts weigh in on paused US bomb shipment to IsraelAssociated Press VideosPresident Joe Biden says he won't supply offensive weapons Israel can use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.4 days ago
- 01:52State Department says decision to pause weapons shipment to Israel if it engages in major Rafah operation doesn't affect ceasefire talksYahoo News VideoAt the State Department briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Matt Miller said President Biden’s decision to pause the shipment of offensive weapons to Israel if the country mounted a large-scale military operation in Gaza would not affect talks aimed at a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Miller said, “A Rafah operation would weaken Israel’s position” in the negotiations.4 days ago
- 02:45US pause on bomb shipment prompts Israeli defianceReuters VideosSTORY: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said Israelis were ready to "fight with the fingernails." It was a thinly-veiled rebuff to U.S. President Joe Biden, after Washington said it had paused a weapons shipment due to Israel's plans for a military operation in Gaza. Biden warned Israel he will not support an invasion of the city of Rafah without adequate safeguards for the civilian population, as an estimated half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have sought shelter there. The paused shipment includes several thousand powerful aerial bombs, that the White House says are not suitable for warfare in densely-populated areas. TOM COTTON: "It's now plain what we suspected all along. Joe Biden's defacto position is for a Hamas victory over Israel." That pause provoked fiery criticism from Republicans in Congress, who characterized the holdup of a single weapons shipment as tantamount to the a betrayal of an ally. Here's Oklahoma Senator Tom Cotton: "Joe Biden is threatening to withhold weapons for fighting in Rafah, therefore, Joe Biden objectively favors a Hamas victory over Israel." The Pentagon dismissed the criticism from Senate Republicans, listing the massive amounts of military aid that has flowed from the U.S. to Israel, including missile defense capabilities. PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON PAT RYDER: "As you know, we provided billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel..." Last month, American forces assisted in shooting down hundreds of Iranian drones and rockets aimed at Israel. Meanwhile, billions of dollars worth of U.S. weaponry remains in the pipeline for Israel, despite the delay. Republican Senator Jim Risch told reporters on Thursday that the U.S. was planning to send tank rounds, mortars, armored tactical vehicles, and more. In the wake the Oct. 7 attack where Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 people, by Israeli tallies, and seized more than 250 hostages, Biden pledged his "ironclad" support for Israel. But the Israeli retaliation that has killed 35,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, forced Biden into a difficult spot between supporting and ally and trying to limit the loss of life. Biden had been pressed by international allies and many of his fellow Democrats at home to condition billions in U.S. aid to Israel due to the massive death toll from its Gaza assault. And a U.S. official told Reuters those pressure came to a head on an April 4 phone call between the leaders after Israeli forces killed seven World Central Kitchen volunteers. Biden gave Netanyahu an ultimatum: protect citizens and aid workers, or else U.S. policy would change. And last week, the U.S. acted on it, pausing the delivery of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs. In an interview with CNN Wednesday night, Biden said: "Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers."4 days ago
- 02:04Palestinian woman speaks of her struggle to access dialysisReuters VideosSTORY: This is the last hospital left in the Gaza strip where Souad Zohair can receive kidney dialysis. :: Location: Deir al-Balah, Gaza She used to go to a hospital near her home in Rafah for treatment – but it shut down after Israel’s latest offensive. Now, she makes the dangerous journey up the coast with her daughter Umm Bilal Zohair. "I come with my mother for her dialysis session, and we are suffering a lot. It took us an hour on the road, in transportation. And still, one is afraid on the road. It is not safe where we are. They could come in at any second.” Souad needs kidney dialysis to keep her alive, but there are only 19 machines here and staff are running around the clock. Saeed Khattab is the head of the kidney department. He says there’s barely enough time to sterilize machines between patients. "This is the only remaining hospital for dialysis serving the entire Gaza strip, serving around 1,000 remaining patients with kidney failure." Souad’s treatment is supposed to last four hours, but she can only have the machine for two, and no one can say when she will get it again. UMM: "They are under a lot of pressure. Everyone from Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza City and central Gaza are here. They are under a lot of pressure in the hospital. They are doing their best, but still, they are under a lot of pressure... It is always in danger." Israel’s assault around Rafah is bringing what’s left of the enclave’s medical system to its knees, doctors say. It launched its offensive in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Israel on Oct. 7. Israel says Hamas militants are hiding in Rafah, where the population has been swelled by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians seeking refuge from bombardments elsewhere.4 days ago
Get the latest updates on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the political crisis over the draft law, and other stories from the region and the Jewish world. Read analysis, opinion, and features from The Times of Israel staff and contributors.
- Overview
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
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...
15 hours ago · Israel-Gaza war. The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for six months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding region.. The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border ...
History of Israel - Wikipedia. Contents. hide. (Top) Prehistory. Canaan. Ancient Israel and Judah. Second Temple period. Late Roman and Byzantine periods. Early Muslim period. Crusades and Mongols. Mamluk period. Ottoman period. Mandatory Palestine. State of Israel. Demographics. See also. Notes. References. Further reading. External links.
Oct 13, 2023 · 13 October 2023. A country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is the only state in the world with a majority Jewish population. It has been locked in conflict with the...
3 days ago · Reporting from Tel Aviv and Safed, Israel. May 11, 2024. Turkey has suspended trade with Israel. The world’s top court is considering whether Israeli leaders have committed genocide. Protests ...