Israel

Israel is a country in the Levant region of the Middle East, in Western Asia by the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south and the Mediterranean to the west. Israel was established as a state in 1948, becoming the first and only predominantly Jewish state in the modern era. Israel has a population of nearly 9 million (2018). Of these 9 million, approximately 75% are Jewish, 20% are Arab, and 5% belong to other ethnic minorities. The most widely spoken languages in the country are Hebrew and Arabic, though Russian, French, and English are widely spoken as well. Israel is quite small geographically - its territory covers about 21,000 square kilometers (8,100 square miles). Despite its size, its topography is varied, ranging from a dry desert climate to mountains and forests. Israel has four distinct geographic regions: the Negev Desert, the Great Rift Valley, the Mediterranean coastal valley, and the mountainous regions in the north. The Dead Sea, the lowest dry-land point on Earth, is on the border between Israel and Jordan. Jerusalem, Israel’s declared though internationally-disputed capital, houses the country’s government buildings. Israel is a democratic republic with a 120-seat parliament (called the Knesset), a prime minister who is head of government and a president whose job is largely ceremonial. Upon its establishment Israel declared itself both Jewish and Democratic. Israel was established in order to be a “safe haven” for the Jewish people. In the years subsequent to its establishment it received an influx of Jewish immigrants and refugees from war-torn Europe and various countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Though originally established as a state with socialist values, the right-winged Likud party has now been in power for over forty years, since former prime minister Menahem Begin took office in 1977. The judicial system in Israel is three-tiered, with the Supreme Court being the top-standing authority on most cases. Religious courts have complete jurisdiction over annulment of marriages. Israel started off as an isolated entity in the predominantly Arab-Muslim Middle East. In 1979, Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt, and in 1994 it signed one with Jordan. Though ties between Israel and much of the Arab world remain hostile, its relationships with countries such as Saudi Arabia have been improving in recent years as the common Iranian threat improves cooperation between the countries. The United States is Israel’s strongest ally. Relations between the two countries have remained relatively constant since Israel’s establishment, with both countries prioritizing the relationship regardless of which administrations are in office. Israel has been in an ongoing conflict with its Palestinian neighbors for decades. It spends a large proportion of its budget on security and defense, and the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) is the largest and strongest military in the Middle East. Israel has a mandatory military draft for most 18-year-old Israeli men and women. Israel has earned itself the nickname “Startup nation” due to the multitude of high-tech companies and scientific startups within its borders.`

Israel preparing for Iran war to last until Passover holiday, official says

Recent security cabinet meetings judged that the rate of fire coming from Iran is expected to slow down due to damage inflicted by days of Israeli and United States strikes.

MARCH 4, 2026|ByGOLDIE KATZ

People take shelter in an underground train station in Tel Aviv, during the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, March 1, 2026.

US Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-MN, speaks at a forum held by the Democratic Women's Caucus titled "Trump's Report Card: Failing Working Women” on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, February 4, 2026.

Fact-checking Ilhan Omar’s Ramadan accusation against the US - opinion

Were US strikes timed for Ramadan, or is that narrative built on shaky facts?

MARCH 4, 2026|ByARI ZIVOTOFSKY

A demonstrator holds a burning photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in London, Britain, January 11, 2026

Khamenei's farewell ceremony postponed due to anticipated high turnout, security preparations

The precise date and time of the farewell ceremony will be announced shortly, according to Iranian state media.

MARCH 4, 2026|ByMATHILDA HELLER

A man draped in a US flag holds stacked Israeli and Royal Iranian flags during a demonstration in solidarity with the Iranian protest movement outside the US Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv on February 14, 2026.

Thoughts from day of the Iran war: Israelis are the most resilient people in the world - opinion

Beyond the sirens and pain, the strength of our people tells the real story.

MARCH 4, 2026|ByADIR SCHWARZ

Israel should back South Azerbaijanis in Iran’s fight for rights - opinion

South Azerbaijanis risk their lives to oppose Tehran, seeking friendship and support from Israel.

MARCH 4, 2026ByAHMED OBALI

A funeral is held for late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran.

Navy intercepts drone from Lebanon as Hezbollah anti-tank fire wounds two IDF soldiers

An IDF Navy missile boat intercepted a drone launched from Lebanon on Wednesday. Meanwhile, two IDF soldiers were moderately injured by Hezbollah anti-tank fire during operations in Lebanon.

MARCH 4, 2026ByTOBIAS HOLCMAN

Israeli Navy Missile Ship Flotilla soldiers are closely cooperating with the IAF in defense missions, September 5, 2024.

Pakistan-Afghan border residents consider fleeing as shelling enters seventh day

South Asian allies-turned-foes have engaged in their worst fighting in years following Pakistani airstrikes on major Afghan cities last week.

MARCH 4, 2026ByREUTERS

An army soldier stands guard at a deserted entry point at the Friendship Gate, following the exchanges of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces, at the border crossing between the two countries, in Chaman, Pakistan February 27, 2026.

Amid war at home, Iran women push on at Asian Cup despite family fears

The conflict erupted after Israel and the US launched air strikes on Iran over the weekend, killing the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, after which Iran launched missiles in response.

MARCH 4, 2026ByREUTERS

Fatemeh Pasandideh of Iran during the AFC Women's Asian Cup Group A match between South Korea and Iran at Robina Stadium on the Gold Coast, Australia, March 2, 2026.

Who are the Kurdish groups and leaders that the US might work with in Iran? - explainer

The US is reaching out to Kurdish Iranian opposition groups as tensions rise, following airstrikes on Iran. Kurdish factions recently formed a coalition to oppose the Iranian regime.

MARCH 4, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) walk back to their outpost near Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq on Saturday, June 10, 2023. The KDPI, a leftist Kurdish group of Iran that has been running an armed struggle against the Islamic Republic's regime in Iran from exile for decades

IAEA claims no radiological danger after Israeli-US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites

After Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the IAEA claims no damage to facilities containing nuclear material and no radiological release risk.

MARCH 4, 2026ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

A satellite image shows ongoing efforts to harden and strengthen a facility's two tunnel entrances at a complex near Nantanz, Iran, February 10, 2026.

Between sirens and sabras: Finding joy in Israel's wartime chaos

A lifelong visitor discovers the thick-skinned endurance – and unexpected joy – that sustains Israel in wartime

MARCH 4, 2026ByLIANNE KOLIRIN

People gather in a public shelter in Tel Aviv amid rocket fire from Tel Aviv.

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No plan, no director, no strategy: Israel's hasbara breakdown - analysis

The collapse of Israel’s public diplomacy is now a national security threat – but it can still be fixed

MARCH 4, 2026ByAKIVA TOR, OFIR DAYAN

The essential position of head of the National Information Directorate has been vacant since May 2024. The directorate is responsible for shaping the Israeli hasbara (public diplomacy) response in all fields.

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From Balfour to rock bottom: Britain and Israel's seesawing ties

The long, seesawing history of Britain’s involvement in Zionism, from imperial sponsorship to modern diplomatic rupture

MARCH 4, 2026ByNEVILLE TELLER

Streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are named after Britain’s King George V due to the Balfour Declaration supporting the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in what was then known as Palestine, which was issued during his reign.

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Drone strike hits Iranian Kurdish opposition group in Iraq, wounding two

A drone strike on an Iranian Kurdish opposition group’s base in Iraq’s Kurdistan wounded two fighters. This attack highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and militant groups in the region.

MARCH 4, 2026ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) members pose for the camera as they celebrate Nowruz at the Jezhnikan Village around Baharka, Iraq, on March 18, 2025.