Portal:Israel

Welcome to the Israel Portal
מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל

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, and Egypt to the southwest. Israel's western coast lies on the Mediterranean Sea, its southern tip reaches the Red Sea, and to the east is Earth's lowest point near the Dead Sea. Jerusalem is the government seat and proclaimed capital, while Tel Aviv is Israel's largest urban area and economic centre.

The Land of Israel, also called Palestine or the Holy Land, was home to the ancient Canaanites and later the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and Hasmonean Judea. Located near continental crossroads, its demographics shifted under various empires. 19th-century European antisemitism fuelled the Zionist movement for a Jewish homeland, which gained British support with the 1917 Balfour Declaration. After World War I, Britain occupied the region and established Mandatory Palestine. British rule and Jewish immigration in the leadup to the Holocaust intensified Arab-Jewish tensions, which escalated into a civil war after the 1947 United Nations (UN) Partition Plan. (Full article...)

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The Sea of Galilee (Hebrew: יָם כִּנֶּרֶת, Judeo-Aramaic: יַמּא דטבריא, גִּנֵּיסַר, Arabic: بحيرة طبريا), also called Lake Tiberias, Genezareth Lake or Kinneret, is a freshwater lake in Israel. It is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake in the world (after the Dead Sea, a salt lake), with its elevation fluctuating between 215 and 209 metres (705 and 686 ft) below sea level (depending on rainfall). It is approximately 53 km (33 mi) in circumference, about 21 km (13 mi) long, and 13 km (8 mi) wide. Its area is 166.7 km² (64.4 sq mi) at its fullest, and its maximum depth is approximately 43 metres (141 ft). The lake is fed partly by underground springs, but its main source is the Jordan River, which flows through it from north to south with the outflow controlled by the Degania Dam. (Full article...)

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This is a Featured picture that the Wikimedia Commons community has chosen as one of the highest quality on the site.

Image 1David Ben-Gurion's room at Ben-Gurion's Hut, the retirement home of Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his wife Paula (Pola) from the years 1953 until Ben-Gurion's death in 1973.
Image 2An aerial view of Makhtesh Ramon, a geological feature of Israel's Negev desert. Located some 85 km south of the city of Beersheba, the landform is not an impact crater from a meteor nor a volcanic crater formed by a volcanic eruption, but rather is the world's largest "erosion cirque" (steephead valley or box canyon).
Image 3Jews Praying in the Synagogue on Yom Kippur, an 1878 painting by Maurycy Gottlieb
Image 4Northeast exposure of Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Considered to be the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.
Image 5A view of Jaffa, from the beachfront of Tel Aviv
Image 6Paratroopers at the Western Wall, an iconic photograph taken on June 7, 1967 by David Rubinger.
Image 7Diving tourism site on the southern coast of Eilat, around a horseshoe-shaped reef. Many animal species are found in the area, including dolphins.
Image 8A more recent section of the Israel-Egypt barrier fence, north of Eilat, June 2012. It is a border barrier built by Israel along its border with Egypt. It was originally an attempt to curb illegal migrants from African countries.^[1] Construction was approved on 12 January 2010^[2] and began on 22 November 2010.^[3]
Image 9An aerial view of Masada in the Judaean Desert, with the Dead Sea and Jordan in the distance
Image 10A view of Jerusalem from southeast, showing the Walls of Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This image was taken sometime between 1900 and 1940.
Image 11Southern aerial view of the Temple Mount, a hill located in the Old City of Jerusalem that for thousands of years has been venerated as a holy site, in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Image 12"The Nile and the Sinai, to Israel and beyond. One sweeping glance of human history." Caption by astronaut Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station.
Image 13Reading Power Station, built in Tel Aviv in 1938, was named for Rufus Isaacs, the 1st Marquess of Reading. Reading Light is pictured on the left.
Image 14Ceramic tile on the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem
Image 15Young Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) on a stone wall by the edge of Makhtesh Ramon in Mitzpe Ramon.
Image 16Dead Tree in Sea of Life is an installation artwork from 2017 by Amiram Dora, a travel guide from the nearby city Arad. The work consists of a tree planted on a salt pile in the Dead Sea. The purpose of the work is to show that as opposed to its common name, the Dead Sea is actually a place of rich tourist activity, healing and relaxation.
Image 17The Jerusalem Railway Station c. 1900. The locomotive on the turntable is "Ramleh" (J&J No. 3), a Baldwin 2-6-0. The station was the terminus of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway until its closure in 1998. Today, the station is abandoned and suffering from neglect and vandalism, although it is one of 110 buildings selected for preservation in Jerusalem.

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Did you know - show different entries

...that Motza (pictured), founded in 1859, was the first modern village established near Jerusalem?
...that Mickey Marcus is the only person buried at the United States Military Academy who died fighting under a foreign flag?
...that the tenth emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly has been resumed more times than any other?

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WikiProjects

WikiProject Israel – WikiProject Jewish history – WikiProject Judaism – WikiProject Jewish culture – WikiProject Hebrew

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Clal Center (Hebrew: מרכז כלל, Mercaz Clal), also known as Clal Building (Hebrew: בנין כלל, Binyan Clal), is a 15-story office tower and indoor shopping mall on Jaffa Road in Jerusalem. Completed in 1972, it was the first upscale, indoor shopping mall in Jerusalem. Built as part of a plan to revitalize Jaffa Road, it enjoyed a brief period of high occupancy until many tenants relocated to malls and office buildings in new suburbs in the 1990s. It is widely viewed as a commercial and architectural failure. (Full article...)

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Ancient Israelite cuisine was similar to other contemporary Mediterranean cuisines. Dietary staples were bread, wine, and olive oil; also included were legumes, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and fish and other meat. Importance was placed on the Seven Species, which are listed in the Hebrew Bible as being special agricultural products of the Land of Israel.

Like many cultures, the Israelites abided by a number of dietary regulations and restrictions that were variously unique or shared with other Near Eastern civilizations. These culinary practices were largely shaped by the Israelite religion, which later developed into Judaism and Samaritanism. People in ancient Israel generally adhered to a particular slaughter method and only consumed from certain animals, notably excluding pigs and camels and all predators and scavengers, as well as forbidding blood consumption and the mixing of milk and meat. There was a considerable continuity in the main components of the diet over time, despite the introduction of new foodstuffs at various stages. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Israel-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Jewish youth dancing the Horah in the kibboutz Ein Harod in 1936 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 2Simulated view of a black hole. Jacob Bekenstein predicted and co-discovered black hole entropy (from Culture of Israel)
Image 3Breads in Mahane Yehuda market (from Culture of Israel)
Image 4A portion of the Isaiah Scroll. One of the earliest known manuscripts of biblical literature (from Culture of Israel)
Image 5David Ben-Gurion proclaiming the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948 (from History of Israel)
Image 6The Arch of Titus in Rome depicts the Roman triumph celebrating the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE (from History of Israel)
Image 7Tel Aviv Cinematheque (from Culture of Israel)
Image 8Masada fortress overlooking the Dead Sea, the location of a 1st-century Roman siege (from History of Israel)
Image 9Sermon on the Mount. The New Testament was authored by Christian Jews during Roman-ruled Judea (from Culture of Israel)
Image 10Israeli breakfast (from Culture of Israel)
Image 11Cultural map of the world according to the World Values Survey, describing Israel as a whole at parity in "Rational-Secular Values" and also at parity in "Self-expression values". (from Culture of Israel)
Image 12"Hezekiah ... king of Judah" – Royal seal written in the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet, unearthed in Jerusalem (from History of Israel)
Image 13Obverse of Yehud silver coin (from History of Israel)
Image 14Painting of the siege of Jerusalem during the First Crusade (1099) (from History of Israel)
Image 15Ecclesiastes is known for its incipit vanity of vanities; all is vanity and concepts of Vanitas (from Culture of Israel)
Image 16Jewish Settlement Police members watching the settlement Nesher during 1936–1939 Arab revolt (from History of Israel)
Image 17Silver coin (gerah) minted in the Persian province of Yehud, dated c. 375–332 BCE. Obv: Bearded head wearing crown, possibly representing the Persian Great King. Rev: Falcon facing, head right, with wings spread; Paleo-Hebrew YHD to right. (from History of Israel)
Image 18First modern art exhibition in Israel at the Ohel Theatre 1926, organized primarily by the Histadrut art studio (from Culture of Israel)
Image 19Heraclius returning the True Cross to Jerusalem, 15th-century painting by Miguel Ximénez (from History of Israel)
Image 20Jewish Brigade headquarters under both Union Flag and Jewish flag (from History of Israel)
Image 21Occupied Enemy Territory Administration, 1918 (from History of Israel)
Image 22Neo-Assyrian Empire at its greatest territorial extent (from History of Israel)
Image 23Supply convoy on its way to besieged Jerusalem, April 1948 (from History of Israel)
Image 24Hebrew ulpan in Dimona, 1955 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 25Gal Fridman, winner of Israel's first Olympic gold medal (from Culture of Israel)
Image 26The Merneptah Stele, dated c. 1209 BCE, is the earliest textual reference to Israel (from History of Israel)
Image 27Skhul Cave (from History of Israel)
Image 28Aerial view of the Temple Mount showing the Dome of the Rock in the center and the al-Aqsa mosque to the south (from History of Israel)
Image 29Menahem Zion synagoge, Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 30The opening ceremony of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem visited by Arthur Balfour, 1 April 1925 (from History of Israel)
Image 31Hasmonean coin of Antigonus II Mattathias, depicting the Temple menorah (from History of Israel)
Image 32The Bahri Mamluk dynasty 1250–1382 (from History of Israel)
Image 33Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, 2006 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 34Remains of the Roman theatre in Caesarea Maritima (from Culture of Israel)
Image 35Jewish symbols in Israeli artworks (from Culture of Israel)
Image 36Tzofim Israeli scout movement fire ceremony in Tel Aviv (from Culture of Israel)
Image 37United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, 1947 (from History of Israel)
Image 38Detail of the Siloam inscription (from History of Israel)
Image 39David dictating the Psalms. The practice of psalms is referred to as a philosophical and theological problem (from Culture of Israel)
Image 40Habimah Theatre in Tel Aviv (from Culture of Israel)
Image 41Illustration for the Song of Songs. Along with the Book of Esther, the ancient poem is an example of an ancient Israeli literature with no mention of God, and is traditionally read as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel (from Culture of Israel)
Image 42The route of the exiles to Babylon (from History of Israel)
Image 43Tiles in the Bezalel style, 1920s (from Culture of Israel)
Image 44Portion of the Temple Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls written by the Essenes (from History of Israel)
Image 45Intel core i7-940. Intel developed its dual-core Core Duo processor at its Israel Development Center in Haifa. (from Culture of Israel)
Image 46Jewish Yemenite bride in traditional bridal vestment, adorned with a henna wreath, 1958 (from Culture of Israel)
Image 47Buchenwald survivors arrive in Haifa to be arrested by the British, 15 July 1945 (from History of Israel)
Image 48Ofek-7 satellite launch through Shavit vehicle (from Culture of Israel)
Image 49A Bookplate done for Martin Buber; The plate is adorned with the walls of Jerusalem in the shape of a Shield of David, viewed from above (from Culture of Israel)
Image 50Hiking near Lake Kinneret (from Culture of Israel)

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Israel News

August 11, 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: The Israeli Army Radio reports that the Israel Defense Forces have targeted a Hamas sniper near the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip, its first strike on the enclave in 10 days. (AIN) (The Times of Israel) (The Jerusalem Post)
August 11, 2026 – Syria and weapons of mass destruction: The Syrian government confirms their cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency to purge nuclear materials at a hidden facility following a report by Axios on such plan after an agreement between Israel, Syria, and the United States. Conversely, Israel threatens to bombard the site again if the materials remain, and to prevent access to the site. (AA) (Axios) (The Jerusalem Post)
August 10, 2026 – 2026 Iran war: Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei appoints new leaders for Iran's military to replace their predecessors after they were killed during the initial Israel and U.S. airstrikes, including Ali Abdollahi as chief of staff, Kioumars Heydari as deputy commander, and Hossein Taeb as Basij commander. (The Jerusalem Post) (Al-Monitor)
August 10, 2026 – Colombia–Israel relations, Colombia–Syria relations: Colombia becomes the second country to recognize the Golan Heights, a region in southwestern Syria that has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, as part of Israel's sovereignty. (AFP via CNA) (The Jerusalem Post)
August 9, 2026 – Middle Eastern crisis: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects a United States-led plan for peace accepted by Hamas, saying Israel will not withdraw forces until Hamas fully disarms. (AFP via RFI)

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This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Israel}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.