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Table of Contents
Israel is a small Middle Eastern nation, roughly the size of New Jersey, surrounded by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It is situated on the eastern beaches of the Mediterranean Sea. With a population of over 9 million, most of whom are Jews, Israel is a country with several significant religious and archaeological monuments that are revered by all faiths, including Jews, Muslims, and Christians. It also has a complicated past marked by both peace and war.
See the fact file below for more information on Israel, or you can download our 26-page Israel worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Early History of Israel
- The Hebrew Bible is where most of what is known about Israel’s early history originates. The scripture claims that Israel’s ancestry may be directly traced to Abraham, who is regarded as the father of both Islam and Judaism via his son Isaac and his son Ishmael.
- Abraham’s descendants are believed to have spent hundreds of years as enslaved Egyptians before migrating to Canaan, which is roughly the area of present-day Israel.
- Jacob, who was renamed “Israel” by the Hebrew God in the Bible, was Abraham’s grandson and is whence the word “Israel” originates.
- Around 1000 BCE, King David governed the region, and the first sacred temple in prehistoric Jerusalem is ascribed to his son, King Solomon. The region was split into two kingdoms around 931 BCE, Israel in the north and Judah in the south.
- Invading Assyrian armies destroyed Israel’s northern kingdom in 722 BCE. A second temple was erected there in 516 BCE after the Babylonians destroyed the old temple in 568 BCE. For many years afterward, various peoples, including the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Fatimids, Seljuk Turks, Crusaders, Egyptians, Mameluke, Islamists, and others, occupied and controlled the area that is now Israel.
- The Ottoman Empire dominated most of the Middle East from 1517 to 1917, including what is now Israel.
Modern History
The Zionism Movement
- Zionism, an organized religious and political movement, first appeared among Jews in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- The goal of Zionism was the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Jews went in great numbers to the old holy land, where they established towns. About 35,000 Jews moved to Palestine between 1882 and 1903, and forty thousand more people moved there between 1904 and 1914.
- Many Jews from Europe and other parts of the world sought sanctuary in Palestine and adopted Zionism out of fear of persecution during the Nazi era. Following the Holocaust and the conclusion of World War II, the Zionist movement concentrated mainly on establishing a Jewish state on its own.
- Arabs opposed Zionism in Palestine, and hostilities between the two groups still exist. As a result, an Arab nationalist movement emerged.
The Balfour Declaration
- The Middle East’s geopolitical environment was drastically affected by World War I. British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour sent a letter of intent in 1917, proposing the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine at the height of the conflict. The official statement, known as the Balfour Declaration, was intended to inspire support for the Allies in World War I.
- The 400-year Ottoman Empire’s reign ended in 1918 with an Allied victory, and Great Britain assumed control of what is now known as Palestine.
- The League of Nations adopted the Balfour Declaration and the British mandate over Palestine in 1922. The Balfour Declaration was fiercely opposed by Arabs, who believed that the Jewish nation would result in the oppression of Arab Palestinians.
- Palestine was under British rule until 1947, when Israel won its independence as a state as a result of the end of World War II.
Conflict Between Jews and Arabs
- Tensions between Jews and Arab Muslims have occurred throughout Israel’s lengthy history. The intricate antagonism between the two tribes extends back to ancient times when they both inhabited and revered the territory.
- Jews and Muslims regard Jerusalem as a sacrosanct, which houses the Temple Mount, which contains the sacred structures al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and others.
- The Golan Heights, a mountainous plateau between modern-day Israel and Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, have all been the focus of most of the fighting in recent years. The West Bank is a region that separates a portion of modern-day Israel from Jordan.
Israeli Independence
- The UN endorsed a plan in 1947 to split Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, but the Arabs rejected it.
- In May 1948, Israel was acknowledged as a sovereign nation, with David Ben-Gurion, the chairman of the Jewish Agency, serving as its first prime minister. While this historic event looked to be a victory for Jews, it also signified the beginning of escalating hatred toward Arabs.
1948 Arab-Israeli War
- Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon were the first Arab countries to assault the area following the creation of an independent Israel, initiating what is now known as the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
- Israel was embroiled in a statewide civil war until 1949, when a cease-fire agreement was reached. As part of the temporary armistice deal, Jordan received the West Bank, while Egypt received the Gaza Strip.
Arab-Israeli Conflict
- The Arab-Israeli ceasefire did not last long, and several conflicts ensued the following years after Israelβs declaration of independence.
- Suez Crisis: After the 1948 war, relations between Egypt and Israel were tense. The crucial maritime route that links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, was taken over and nationalized by Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1956. Israeli soldiers assaulted the Sinai Peninsula and retook the Suez Canal with the aid of British and French forces.
- Yom Kippur War: In 1973, on the holy day of Yom Kippur, Egypt and Syria started airstrikes against Israel to surprise the Israeli army. The violence persisted for two weeks before the UN passed a resolution to end the conflict. During this conflict, Syria attempted to retake the Golan Heights but was unsuccessful. The Golan Heights were captured by Israel in 1981, although Syria still claimed it as its own.
- Israel attacked Lebanon in 1982, and the Palestine Liberation Organization was expelled (PLO). This organization, founded in 1964 and referred to all Arab residents of Palestine before 1947 as “Palestinians,” concentrated on establishing a Palestinian state inside the borders of Israel.
- First Palestinian Intifada: In 1987, a Palestinian revolt resulted in hundreds of fatalities as a result of Israeli rule of Gaza and the West Bank. The Oslo Peace Accords, which resulted from a peace process, ended the Intifada, Arabic, for “shaking off.” Following this, the Palestinian Authority was established and seized certain Israeli territory. The Israeli army left areas of the West Bank in 1997.
- Palestinians attacked Israelis in 2000 during the Second Palestinian Intifada using suicide bombers and other means. Years went by before a cease-fire was negotiated as a result of the ensuing bloodshed. By the end of 2005, Israel stated that it would withdraw all troops and Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip.
- Second Lebanon War: In 2006, Israel engaged in combat with Hezbollah, a militant Shiite Islamic organization based in Lebanon. A few months after it began, the conflict was resolved by an UN-mediated ceasefire.
- Hamas Wars: Israel and Hamas, a militant Sunni Islamist party that seized control of Palestine in 2006, have engaged in violent conflict on several occasions. Some more serious confrontations began in 2008, 2012, and 2014.
Israel Today
- According to an OECD report, Israel has the highest poverty rate in the developed world. According to a report issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Israel has the highest percentage of poverty among the 34 members, at 20.9%.
- The country has a thriving economy, revered holy sites, and strained relations with many of its Arab neighbors. Three of the most treasured locations in the country are the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, and the Dome of the Rock.
- Only Israel in the entire globe has more trees now than it had fifty years ago.
- Israel boasts more museums per person than any other nation, including the only underwater museum in the world.
- Israelis and Palestinians often continue to clash. While some major geographical areas are partitioned between the two tribes, others are not. They both list Jerusalem as their capital, for example.
- Both sides hold the other responsible for terrorist actions that result in civilian deaths. More than 135 UN member countries recognize Palestine as a state, even though Israel does not.
- Terrorist organizations and lone wolves continue to plot assaults in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists may strike without warning, targeting tourist sites, transit hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government institutions. Without notice, violence can erupt in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Travel to the West Bank with extreme caution owing to terrorism and civil instability. Protests have increased dramatically across Israel, with some occurring with little or no warning.
- The security environment in Israel and the Palestinian Territories under occupation may be dynamic, stressful, and unexpected. Always use caution and be informed of travel advisories and local news.
- It is quite possible that terrorists will attempt to carry out attacks in Israel and the Palestinian Territories under occupation. Attacks could occur randomly, especially in popular tourist destinations like Jerusalem’s Old City, public transportation, and crowded public areas.
The Two-State Solution
- In recent years, some countries have sought new peace treaties. Many have called for a two-state solution, despite the fact that Israelis and Palestinians are unlikely to agree on borders.
- Despite criticism, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained committed to the two-state solution. Furthermore, Netanyahu is accused of favoring a two-state solution while campaigning for Jewish settlements on Palestinian land.
- Israel’s closest ally is the United States. U.S. officials traveled to Israel in May 2017, and Netanyahu was encouraged by President Donald Trump to accept peace accords with the Palestinians. Additionally, the U.S. Embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which Palestinians interpreted as a message that the United States supported Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Dozens of protestors were killed by Israeli forces as Palestinians near the Gaza-Israel border reacted by protesting.
Israel Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Israel across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Israel worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Israel, officially the State of Israel, which is a country in the Middle East, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- In Sum…
- Mapping Israel
- Symbols of Israel
- Jewish Victors
- Ancient Heritage
- Ancient Timeline
- Modern Timeline
- The Pioneers
- On Matters of Safety
- Reviewing Israel
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Israel a rich or poor country?
According to an OECD report, Israel has the highest poverty rate in the developed world. According to a report issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Israel has the highest percentage of poverty among the 34 members, at 20.9%.
Why is Israel so famous?
The country has a thriving economy, revered holy sites, and strained relations with many of its Arab neighbors. Three of the most treasured locations in the country are the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall, and the Dome of the Rock.
Is Israel a safe country?
Terrorist organizations and lone wolves continue to plot assaults in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists may strike without warning, targeting tourist sites, transit hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government institutions. Without notice, violence can erupt in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Travel to the West Bank with extreme caution owing to terrorism and civil instability. Protests have increased dramatically across Israel, with some occurring with little or no warning.
What country does Israel belong to?
Israel is a small Middle Eastern country the size of New Jersey, surrounded by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It is situated on the eastern coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel is a country containing various religious and archaeological monuments that are revered by people of all religions, including Jews, Muslims, and Christians, and has a population of over 9 million people, the majority of whom are Jews.
Is it safe to travel to Israel?
The security environment in Israel and the Palestinian Territories under occupation may be dynamic, stressful, and unexpected. Always use caution and be informed of travel advisories and local news. It is quite possible that terrorists will attempt to carry out attacks in Israel and the Palestinian Territories under occupation. Attacks could occur randomly, especially in popular tourist destinations like Jerusalem’s Old City, public transportation, and crowded public areas.
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Link will appear as Israel Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 28, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.