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Israel¶

Area

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The State of Israel is located on the south-eastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea and stretches south the the northern tip of the Red Sea.

The name "Isreal" first appears in recorded history c. 1210 BCE on an ancient Egyptian "stele" (a stone or wood tablet). However, it does not refer to a country, but likely to a person or a people. The biblical account states that the Kingdom of Israel was founded around 1030-1020 BCE by Hebrew slaves who departed Egypt centuries earlier during the Exodus. It was the children of the biblical character Jacob who united the Hebrew tribes to form the kingdom. Jacob himself was renamed "Israel" earlier after successfully wrestling with an undetermined character who may have been an angel or God himself. Israel literally means "He who wrestled with God."

The first king of Israel was Saul, followed a short time later by David who established Jerusalem as the capital. David's son, Solomon was the next king. After his death, Israel split into two: Isreal in the north, and Judah in the south. Israel fell to the Assyrians in 721 BCE, and Judah fell to the Babylonians in 597 BCE.

Modern day Israel was formed during 1947-48. The UN General Assembly had approved a partition plan that saw 55% of the land going to the Jews and 45% to the Arabs. The Jews tentatively accepted the plan, but the Arab league rejected it. War broke out, Israel took almost half the Arab territory and things have been a mess ever since. Peace between the Jews and Arabs -- two culturally-rich groups of people -- would be one of the most welcome accomplishments of mankind in the 21st century.

Israel on Wikipedia

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