Israel has internationally recognised borders with Egypt (since the 1979 peace treaty) and Jordan (since the 1994 Wadi Araba treaty). Its northern borders with Syria and Lebanon are based on 1949 armistice lines that were never converted into peace treaties. The West Bank and Gaza Strip are not internationally recognised as part of Israel — their final status is subject to unresolved negotiations.

6 min12 sources

DEFENCE & SECURITY

The Israel Defense Forces: structure, doctrine, and history

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is Israel's military, established on 26 May 1948, two weeks after independence. It is a unified force with three branches — ground, air, and naval — under a single chief of staff. Israel maintains mandatory military service (conscription) for most Jewish and Druze citizens. The IDF is one of the most battle-experienced militaries in the world and has been involved in every major Israeli conflict since 1948.

8 min16 sources

GOVERNMENT

What is the Knesset? Israel's parliament explained

The Knesset is Israel's unicameral (single-chamber) parliament, located in Jerusalem. It has 120 members elected by proportional representation every four years, though early elections are common. It passes laws, approves the budget, and has the power to dissolve itself and call new elections. Because no single party has ever won a majority, Israeli governments are always coalitions.

7 min14 sources

HISTORY

The 1947 UN Partition Plan: what Resolution 181 actually said

UN General Assembly Resolution 181, adopted on 29 November 1947 by a vote of 33 to 13 with 10 abstentions, recommended partitioning Mandatory Palestine into an independent Jewish state, an independent Arab state, and an international zone for Jerusalem. The resolution was accepted by the Jewish Agency and rejected by the Arab Higher Committee and the Arab League. It was a non-binding recommendation — not a directive. Communal violence began the following day.

9 min18 sources