Basic facts about Israel
Geography
Israel is a narrow strip of land that lies on the south-eastern coast of the Mediterranean, with a total area similar to that of Wales. Israel’s entire length is 263 miles (424 km) and its width ranges from nine to 71 miles (114 km). For a small country it enjoys considerable geographical diversity, with arid desert in the south, and green, hilly, arable land in the north. Seventy per cent of Israel’s population is concentrated on the coastal plain.
Population
Israel is home to 8 million inhabitants. Seventy-five per cent of its citizens are Jews, 21 per cent Arab, while the remaining four per cent are other minorities. Israel’s Jewish population is extremely diverse, having immigrated to the country from all over the world. Among Israel’s Jewish citizens 70.3 per cent are Sabras (Israeli-born), mostly second- or third-generation, whilst the rest are olim (Jewish immigrants to Israel). Of those, 20.5 per cent are from Europe and the Americas, and 9.2 per cent from Asia and Africa, including Arab countries.
Government
Israel is a unicameral parliamentary democracy. The 120-seat parliamentary chamber (Knesset) is elected to four-year terms on a strictly proportional system. The head of the government is the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the largest party. The Knesset elects the largely ceremonial role of president to a seven-year term. A robust Supreme Court acts as an important check on the powers of the government, and frequently judges the legality of legislation and government decisions through a process of judicial review.
Legal system
Israel has a three-tier court system that plays an important role in maintaining the country’s checks and balances. At the lowest level are magistrates’ courts, above them are district courts, and the highest tier is the Supreme Court in Jerusalem – which serves as the highest court of appeals and the High Court of Justice. In the latter role, the Supreme Court allows both citizens and non-citizens to petition against decisions of state authorities and has the authority to overrule state laws and regulations. Professional judges rather than juries decide court cases. A committee of Knesset members, Supreme Court justices, and Israeli Bar members elect judges.
The Attorney General is the chief legal adviser to the government and the head of the prosecution. The government is bound to abstain from any action that, in the opinion of the Attorney General, is unlawful. Although appointed by the government, the Attorney General functions independently of the political system. In addition, the State Comptroller (who also functions as an Ombudsman), is elected by the Knesset, oversees the activities of the public service and responds to complaints by the public. Public bodies are bound by law to abide by the Comptroller’s recommendations and apply them.
Education
Expenditure on education accounts for approximately 10 per cent of Israel’s GDP, with the majority of schools subsidised by the state. A wide variety of schools caters for the diverse cultural and social needs of Israel’s population, including those with religious and secular outlooks as well as the country’s Arab minorities.
Israel has seven highly regarded universities as well as an Open University based on the British model, and a host of other post-secondary educational institutions. Accorded full academic and administrative freedom, Israel’s institutions of higher education are open to all who meet their academic standards. In 2012, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Education at a Glance report, Israel was the second most educated country in the world. The report found that 78 per cent of the money invested in education is from public funds and 45 per cent of the population has a university or college diploma. Israel has world leading institutes of higher educations, with a recent survey placing four Israeli universities in the world top 100, with only the US, Britain, Japan and France having more.
Healthcare
Healthcare in Israel is universal and participation in a medical insurance plan is compulsory. Israel has impressive healthcare services comparable to those of other developed countries. The average life expectancy is 79 years for men and 83 years for women. Israel is a world leader in the field of medical research, particularly in stem cell research, with the largest number of articles, patents and research studies per capita of any country.
Military
With a long history of facing acute military threats, Israel invests heavily in its defence. Its army, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), consists mainly of civilian conscripts and reserves. Most men and women are drafted at the age of 18; men for three years and women for two. Men typically serve in reserve units for a few weeks each year until they are into their forties. Israel’s Druze and Circassian minorities are drafted and serve alongside Israeli Jews. Arab Israelis are not drafted but can volunteer, and many Bedouin Israelis do so.
Economy
Israel has a technologically advanced market economy, including high-tech, agricultural, and financial sectors. As of 2012, Israel ranked 16th among 187 world nations on the UN’s Human Development Index, which places it in the category of “Very Highly Developed”. Israel exports medical, scientific and other electronic and hi-tech equipment around the world, and is also a major centre for polishing diamonds. Economic reforms in the last few years have paved the way for greater foreign investment, particularly in the hi-tech industry.
Israel joined the OECD and is ranked around 30th in the world for GDP per capita (PPP). Israel has also signed free trade agreements with the European Union, the United States, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Jordan and Egypt. Israel is also a major tourist destination, with 3.5 million foreign tourists visiting in 2012.
Economic liberalisation and growth has brought growing economic inequality, with an over-concentration of wealth among a small number of family-led business groups. This was one of the factors that led to nationwide rallies demanding ‘social justice’ in the summer of 2011, and was a major factor influencing the outcome of the 2013 elections.