Israel

The State of Israel (Medinat YIsrael) is a Jewish Democratic nation along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. Israel was established by the United Nations adoption of the Partition Plan for Mandatory Palestine in 1947, creating a new Jewish state in the region, and placing part of the disputed territory of Jerusalem under UN control.
Since its official creation in 1948, Israel has been in conflict with the neighboring majority Islamic states, sometimes resulting in open warfare, such as the Arab-Israeli War (1948), the Six Day War (1967), and the Yom Kippur War (1973), other times in low-level conflicts and terrorist attacks. Many Middle Eastern nations refuse to recognize the legitimacy of Israel, and have sworn to reclaim all of its territory. Only Egypt and Jordan have signed peace treaties with Israel, and even relations with those nations remain on shaky ground.
Israel is a heavily militarized nation, strongly exerting its right to use force to defend itself and its interests in the region. Service in the Israeli Defense Forces is mandatory for both men and women from ages 18–21, except for ethnic Arabs and those engaged in religious studies.
It is widely believed, although not officially confirmed, that Israel has nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons in its arsenal, and the nation is not a signatory to nonproliferation treaties. The Israeli government skirts the edges of an “open secret” regarding its arsenal, which may also include some superhuman or even supernatural resources in contravention of international standards and accords. The belief that these weapons exist—and the potential for a retaliatory strike using them—does as much to deter open aggression against Israel as their actual existence.

Type

Geopolitical, Country