ISRAEL – GENERAL INFORMATION
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I
S R A E L
GENERAL
INFORMATION
(1/2025)
GEOGRAPHY
Israel is on
the eastern Mediterranean, bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north, the
Palestine National Authority (West Bank) and Jordan to the east, and Egypt to
the south. Gaza, a small coastal strip between Israel and Egypt, is claimed by
the Palestine National Authority, but under de facto rule by the militant group
Hamas. Although only the size of Massachusetts, Israel contains a great variety
of terrain and four climate zones. The north of the country is the fertile hill
region of Galilee, rising to Mount Hermon and Golan in the northeast. The
fertile Plain of Sharon runs along the coast, while inland are a range of hills
and uplands with relatively barren stony areas to the east. The country
stretches southwards
Credit: Central Intelligence Agency
through the
Negev Desert to Eilat, on the Red Sea. The Dead Sea (the lowest point in the
world) sits along the eastern border. Israel's largest freshwater lake, the
Kinneret (also known as Sea of Galilee) is an important source of drinking
water for the country.
HISTORY
Following World War II, the British withdrew
from their mandate of
In April 2003, US President BUSH, working
in conjunction with the EU, UN, and Russia - the "Quartet" - took the
lead in laying out a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005,
based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and
a democratic Palestine. However, progress toward a permanent status agreement
was undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence between September 2000 and
February 2005. An agreement reached at Sharm al-Sheikh in February 2005
significantly reduced the violence. The election in January 2005 of Mahmud
ABBAS as the new Palestinian leader following the November 2004 death of Yasir
ARAFAT, the formation of a Likud-Labor-United Torah Judaism coalition
government in January 2005, and the successful Israeli disengagement from the
Gaza Strip (August-September 2005), presented an opportunity for a renewed
peace effort. However, internal Israeli political events between October and December
2005 forced early elections.
It remains to be seen how the upheavals of
late 2023 and 2024 including the fall of the Syrian dictatorship in late 2024
will change the power balance of the region.
THE
PEOPLE
Over 80 percent of the population is Jewish,
while the remainder 20 percent consists of Arabs who are mainly Muslim
including a smaller population of
Arab-Christians. Most of the people of Israel live in metropolitan areas and
heavy concentration is found around the cities of Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv-Yafo and
Haifa.
SOCIAL
CONVENTIONS
Israelis are usually very informal but with the
European style of hospitality. Israelis are typically blunt and direct in
speech, which should not be misinterpreted as rudeness. Visitors should observe
normal courtesies when visiting someone's home and should not be afraid to ask
questions about the country as most Israelis are happy to talk about their
homeland, religion and politics. The expression shalom (‘peace')
is used for hello and goodbye. Dress is casual, but in the holy places of all
religions modest attire is worn. For places such as the Western Wall, male
visitors are given a smart cardboard yarmulke (skull cap) to respect the
religious importance of the site. Businesspeople are expected to dress smartly,
or at least in a smart casual style, although ties are often not worn, while
the most expensive of restaurants and nightclubs may expect a similar standard.
If formal evening wear is required, this will be specified on invitations. It
is considered a violation of Shabbat (Sabbath, on Saturday) to smoke
on that day. There is usually a sign to remind the visitor of this, and to
disregard the warning would be regarded as discourteous.
LANGUAGE
Hebrew is the official language, while
Arabic is used officially amongst the Arab minority. English is the most used
foreign language.
GOVERNMENT
A parliamentary democracy, with Basic Laws
empowered by the unicameral Knesset.
TIME
ZONE
The time in
ELECTRICITY
230
Volts AC; 50 Hz.
CLIMATE
Mediterranean, with pleasant spring and autumn.
Winters in the north can be cool. Occasionally light rain in winter is
possible, particularly in Jerusalem, though recent years have seen insufficient
rain. Snow is rare. Summers can be very hot, especially in the south. The Red
Sea resort of Eilat has a good climate for beach holidays all year round.
Clothes to Wear:
Lightweight clothes for warmer months are required.
Medium-weight clothing is recommended for winters, although on the Red Sea
coast they are unlikely to be necessary during the day.
LOGISTICAL
Entry and Exit
Requirements:
The U.S. Government seeks equal treatment
and freedom to travel for all American citizens regardless of national origin
or ethnicity.
Security Screening: U.S. citizens are
advised that all persons applying for entry to Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza
are subject to security and police record checks by the Government of Israel
and may be denied entry or exit without explanation.
Entering
Starting from 1.1.25, every foreigner
arriving in Israel will be required to present either a visa (from countries
that require it) or the ETA-IL form. It is advisable to fill out the ETA-IL
form up to 72 hours before arriving in Israel.
It is important to note and emphasize that the only website for the ETA issue is: https://israel-entry.piba.gov.il
Entering the Gaza Strip: The Department of
State urges
Entering the West Bank: The Department of
State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling to the West Bank.
Please contact the U.S. Consulate General in
Finally, the Government of Israel’s policy
notes: “Foreign citizens whose passports were stamped recently with the words
‘Last Permit’ may nonetheless leave the West Bank and submit a new visa
request. However, the entry of individuals into Israel and the West Bank
remains subject to imperative considerations of policy and security by the
relevant authorities.”
Israel-Jordan Crossings: International
crossing points between Israel and Jordan are the Arava crossing (Wadi
al-'Arabah) in the south, near Eilat; and the Jordan River crossing (Sheikh
Hussein Bridge) in the north, near Beit Shean. American citizens using these
two crossing points to enter either
The
Embassy Locations:
United
States Embassy in
14 David Flusser
Jerusalem, 9378322
Tel: +972 2 630 4000
Embassy
of Canada to Israel
3/5 Nirim Street,
Tel Aviv-Yafo 6706038
Tel: +972 3 636-3300
The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy
should be contacted for information and assistance in the following areas:
Israel, the Golan Heights, and ports of entry at Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa
Port, the northern (Jordan River) and southern (Arava) border crossings
connecting Israel and Jordan, and the border crossings between Israel and
Egypt.
Health:
Information
on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water
precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hotline for
international travelers at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or via the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of
infectious diseases abroad, consult the infectious diseases section of the World Health Organization (WHO)
website at http://www.who.int/topics/infectious_
diseases/en/. The
WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers,
including detailed country-specific health information.
Banks
& Currency:
New Shekel (ILS; symbol ₪) = 100 agorot (singular, agora).
Notes are in denominations of ₪200, 100, 50, and 20. Coins are in denominations
of ₪ 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50 and 10 agorot.
Prices for tourist services are sometimes quoted in US
Dollars. This is usually where the expectation is that a credit card will be
used, for example when hiring a car. In these instances, the amount paid would
be written in US Dollars.
Foreign currency can only be exchanged at authorized
banks, hotels and change shops. Change shops found in most cities charge no
commission and equal the bank exchange rates. It is advisable to leave Israel
with the minimum of Israeli currency. Payment in foreign currency exempts
tourists from VAT on certain purchases and services, and is sometimes preferred
by shop keepers.
All major credit cards are accepted. ATMs are widely
available.
There are no restrictions on the import or export of
local or foreign currency. However, amounts exceeding ₪90,000 or equivalent
must be declared.
Banking hours: Sun-Fri 08:30am-12pm and Sun, Tues, Thurs
4pm-6pm.
Communications:
Country Code: 972. Outgoing Code: 00.
Internet cafés are
widely available in most cities and towns, and free Wi-Fi access is common in
cafés.
Cell
Phone Usage:
Please contact your cell phone provider to
determine whether your contract includes coverage in the country you are
visiting. Depending on your contract you may have to add international services
and/or country specific services.
ENTERTAINMENT
Food & Drink:
Israeli eating has distinctive characteristics,
especially the fondness for fresh, finely chopped salads, eaten at every meal
including breakfast. In general the cuisine is a fusion of East and West, plus
many dishes and flavors brought by Jewish immigrants from all over the world.
Most restaurants are moderately priced. Table service is the norm, except at
the many low-cost snack bars. Restaurants, bars and cafés catering for tourists
usually have menus in both Hebrew and English. The Hebrew word kosher means
conforming to Jewish religious laws. The laws include not eating milk, cream or
cheese in the same meal as meat and avoiding pork and shellfish (although
imitation seafood is common and may be indistinguishable from the real thing).
National specialities:
• Falafel (deep-fried balls of mashed
chickpeas) in a pita bread, with hummus (ground chickpeas), tahina
(sesame seed sauce) and salads
• Salads, which include savory vegetable dishes served
cold, such as aubergines
•
Shishlik (charcoal-grilled meat on a skewer)
• Shwarma (slices of grilled meat served in a pita bread
with salad)
• Ashkenazi classics like cholent
(Shabbat meat stew) and gefilte fish, a white fish dish.
National
drinks:
• Soft drinks (Israelis are among the world's
largest consumers)
• Fresh fruit juices are very popular and widely
available, made from all kinds of fruit
• The wines of Israel range from light white to dry
red and sweet rosé. The best come from the Golan and Carmel regions
• Gold Star and Maccabe (Israeli beers)
• Sabra (chocolate and orange liqueur). A centre for liqueurs is
the monastery at Latrun on the road between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Nightlife:
There are nightclubs and discos in most
cities.
Shopping:
There is a wide choice for shoppers in Israel.
Contrary to a widespread belief among visitors, bargaining is not usual in
Israel except in the few Arab markets. There are also very animated Jewish
markets (shuks) of tremendous cultural diversity, notably the Carmel
Market in Tel Aviv. The best place to buy food is at these outdoor markets; the
produce is cheap and fresh. Tourists
benefit from a zero rate of VAT (a tax on transactions) on many goods and
services. In addition, when buying from souvenir and specialist shops
displaying a Ministry of Tourism sign, especially jewelers and luxury good
stores, it is possible to obtain a refund of VAT: when making your purchase,
ask for a Tax Refund Invoice; then, when leaving the country, take the invoice
to the tax refund desk at the airport or port for the VAT refund.
Shopping hours: Sun-Fri
8am-7pm; some shops close 1pm-4pm and some early on Friday. Remember that
Jewish-run stores close for Shabbat from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening,
while Arabic stores close Friday. It takes a while to realize that Sunday is a
normal working day unlike in Christian countries. For shoppers, Jewish stores
are therefore open Friday, Arab markets Saturday and both are open Sunday when
Christian stores close. Shops in hotels are often open until midnight.
BAGGAGE
Baggage rules for international and
domestic air travel have changed much in recent years, differ from carrier to
carrier and these days even may cover your on-board bags. Checking luggage may
cost a separate fee or may be free depending on your personal status with the
carrier. We therefore encourage you to read your ticket’s small print and/or
contact your carrier for exact rules.
TIPPING
Appreciated in sit-in restaurants. It is
standard to give 10% (or 15% for exceptional service). Some establishments
include a service charge in the bill; in this case it is clearly marked
(normally in Hebrew and in English). It is suggested that tour guides and
drivers share $10 to $15 per person per day on escorted coach tours ($6-$10 per
person per day for a guide and $4-$5 per person per day for driver).
LAUNDRY
Laundry
service is available at most hotels in the main centers. Generally, you should
allow about 24-hours before the item is returned to you, however, some have an
emergency service available at an extra charge.
PHOTOS & VIDEOS
In some countries you must refrain from photographing sites such as Military bases and industrial installations. Also be aware of cultural sensitivities when taking pictures of or near churches and other religious sites. It is always courteous to ask for permission before taking photographs of people. Observant Jews will not appreciate being photographed on Shabbat (sundown Friday through sundown Saturday), when they themselves would be unwilling to operate a camera. The security forces at the Western Wall will actually prevent you from taking pictures there on Shabbat.
USE
OF DRONES
The use of drones is being
legislated by many countries. In some cases, drones are already forbidden and
their unauthorized use may carry severe penalties. If you plan to travel with a
drone, please contact the embassy or consulate of the country you wish to
visit.