Regarded by many as the Holy Land, Israel is a remarkable, fascinating and controversial country.
The history of Israel may be traced back to 2000 BC, though the earliest recorded event derives from the era of Moses (around 1300 BC) when elements of the tribes of Israel escaped to Palestine from serfdom in the eastern Nile Delta.
After 1291, the Jews continued to spread across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East (and later the Americas) and few countries today lack a community descended from Jewish settlers. The Zionist movement emerged in the 19th century with the aim of re-establishing a separate Jewish nation in Palestine, building on the common sense of identity of the scattered Jewish communities and the insecurity caused by frequent persecution.
The aspirations of the Zionist movement were ultimately recognised by the British government in the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which followed Britain's occupation of Palestine during World War I. The Balfour Declaration formed the basis of the 1920 mandate granted by the League of Nations, which acceded to British rule over the territory. The mandate laid the foundations of the modern Arab-Israeli conflict as the British struggled to balance their commitment to the Jews against their parallel promises to the indigenous Arab population.
The Jewish leaders inaugurated the State of Israel in May 1948, bringing an immediate conflict with the Arab population, which escalated into full-scale war. Much of the history of the region since that time has been one of conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, represented by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). Many Palestinians were displaced and several wars were fought which also involved Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Palestinians in the West Bank, including east
Jerusalem, have lived under Israeli occupation since 1967. Although Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement in 1979, a peace process only began with the Palestinians in the early 1990s after years of uprising or intifada. Israel evacuated its settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and withdrew its forces, ending almost four decades of military occupation. A final status agreement has yet to be reached. Following the death of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, there is now hope that this calamity may compel some sort of closure to this lengthy conflict and the world waits with bated breath to observe Mahmoud Abbas's strategies.
Although visitors are advised to check official government advice before travelling to the Palestinian National Authority Region or to Jerusalem, owing to political tension, Israel is a world-class destination which offers numerous cultural and religious attractions, spas and renowned sea resorts - all within an atmosphere that combines the very ancient with the ultra high-tech. The Dead Sea is a very popular attraction. An inland lake lying in the lower Jordan Valley, flanked by the Judean and Moab Mountains, it has minerals and high salt content renowned worldwide for their health-giving properties.
