Regional Studies

November 2014

Shalom!
Israel
Israel-Palestine conflict
The Zionist conflict between nations.

Everything you need to know!

About Israels Religion,
Government, Food and history.

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sem placerat suscipit.

In this Hanukkah, find a little magic in the perfect gift

Only at Pashoshim.

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Index

Countrys general info..4 pg.

Facts government..5 pg
Facts Economy..6 pg
Society ...7-8pg
Culture...9-10 pg
Conflict..11 pg
Suggestion..12 pg
Conflict .13-14pg
Suggestion.15 pg
Advertisment....16 pg
Bibliography..17pg

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Israel

Spring 2016

General Information

Flag

Official
Name

State of Israel

Coordinates 31N 35E

Continent

Asia

Neighbor
Countries

Egypt (SW)
Jordan (E)
Lebanon (N)

Neighbor
conflict
zones

Gaza Strip (W)

West Bank (E)
Golan Heights (NE)

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State of Israel

Spring 2016

In the multitude of counselors there is safety.

(Proverbs 11:14)

Chief of State: Reuven Rivlin

Head of Government: Prime Minister
Benjamin
Government type: Parliamentary
Democracy Netanyahu
Constitution: No formal constitution, but has "Basic Laws" that establish a parliamentary
system as a democratic republic.
Interesting facts

Israel is the only fully democratic country in

the Middle East.
Elections are held for seats in the Knesset or
parliament every four years.
The leader of the largest party becomes
prime minister.
All citizens serve in the armed forces after
they finish school. (Men 3 years and women
2 years)

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Israels Economy
World Rank: 44

Regional Rank: 5

Israels economic freedom score is 68.4,

putting its economy in the 44th place world
rank and 5th place in the Middle East/North
Africa region. Israel has achieved a 3 percent
steady growth annually over the past five
years, making it one of the top most secure
countries to do business.

Interesting facts about

Israel Economy
Israel has the largest number of

Currency
1 Shekel

0.25 USD

1 Shekel

0.21 Euro

1 Shekel

3.54 Pesos

QUICK FACTS

startup companies than any other

Population:

country in the world, except for the

7.7 million
GDP (PPP):

US.

$248.7 billion

Israel is the only country in the

3.1% growth

world to have simultaneous free

3.6% 5-year

trade agreements with the US,

Compound annual growth:

Mexico and Canada

$32,312 per capita

More Israeli companies are on the

Unemployment:

US stock exchanges (123) after the

6.9%

US and Canada.

Inflation (CPI):
1.7%
Official coin:
Shekel
FDI inflows:
10.4 billion

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Israels Society

Spring 2016

Stereotypes
Muslims,

when you hear

the word you mentally image
terrorism, like the attack of
the twin towers or violence
people with big guns attacking
poor
innocent
people.
Religious extremist, fighting
until the end bad using the
name of God. They also
mistreat the women by reap
or hit them; women have to
wear clothes over the face
sometimes just around or all

Jewish,

stereotypes have
dark skin, black hair, very
large nose, are wearing
Kippahs
(hat
of
their
religion) all day and also their
appearance look dirty with a
large black coat. They have
been seeing as the people
whos ancestors suffer in the
World War II being the ones
that could be right now
extinct, they have been in
suffer and maybe ones had
hate of the German people for
how they act at that time.
They are very workers in
their life having many goals,
they pray all day and

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Israels Society

Spring 2016

Prejudices

Main Facts of Israel

Islamophobia is a term of
prejudice against or fear
of Islamic people; it is a
type of racism with people
that practice the Islam. It
is a big fear since all the
wars, attacks, and suicidal
bombs that the
world has been
resisting; if we
could say so. It
takes a shape of
daily formed of
racism that could
lead to a violence
form all around the
world;
it
has
violated the human rights.
It is also a big rejection of
the Muslims religions,
how they participate in
the way they think, how
they act in the name of
god and what they do in
their daily life that many
of the people dont do,

Anti-Semitism, is a forms to mistrust, hatred

the way the Jewish think, hate the way they
could control many business ideas and people
harm them to stop them; harm could be made
in expression not necessary physical attack.
Hate the way they could use their symbols or
images such as the star or the Kippah. The
Anti-Smitism has existed a long time ago, it
have been targeting individuals or
communities; example is the Nazi regimes
that organize to extinct the Jews through
torture and holocaust.
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318000 people are

immigrants and the
annual people growth
is 1.8%
The tree most practiced
faiths in Israel are
Judaism,
Islam
d
Christianity.
Israel leads the world
in the numbers of
scientists
and
workforce.
Israel
has
more
museums per capital
than any other country
in the whole world.
They society is made of
big fight in Jerusalem,
which religion could
gain
the
whole
territory because it is
holy for each of them.
Political, economic and
cultural basis or the
Israels
society,

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Israeli Culture

Christianity in Israel

Israel Religion
Israel is a Jewish state, was
reestablished in 1948 as the
modern home of Jewish; the
only country in Middle East
that has freedom of religion.
The religious communities are
free to practice their exercise
of faith and law, each of them
has their own councils and
courts, that are recognize by
the law as also personal status
(marriage or divorce, etc.)
According to 2005 the
countrys Central Bureau of
Statistics the population was
76.1% Jewish, 2.1% Christian,
16.2% Muslim, 1.6% Druze
and
3.9%
no
religion
classified. Jewish tried to
define their religion by the
practices they made.
The most important religion in
Israel is Judaism is the
birthplace and the most
ancient religion; it is the place
of Judaisms myriad holy,
Jerusalem, The Temple Mount
and Hebron. Jerusalem is the
heart of the Jewish people
since the King David.
Israel is determined as a
Jewish state, so they celebrate
Sabbath (Saturday) and all
Jewish festivals and holy days;
national holidays;

Spring 2016

Saturday sis the day of the

week to spend, have time
with the family and the
people you love. This day
public
transport
is
suspended, busyness closed
and everything is supervised
by soldiers.
Sundays is the day of the
week to spend, have time
with the family and the
people you love. This day
public
transport
is
suspended, busyness closed
and everything is supervised
by soldiers.

Islam in Israel
Unique place in the Middle
East, invite people to
participate as faith citizens
in Israel life. They hope for
a good life, modern and
have a successful life.
Muslims are very spiritual in
their believes, are students in
universities, most of them
practice law or medicine; big
workforce; some of them are
part of the courts. This place
is holly for them because of
the Temple Mount *dome of
the rock) Muslims believe
that Muhammad ascended
to heaven; most of the
Muslims in Israel are Sunni
Arabs.
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Various places in Israel are very holy

for the Christians, these places are
where Jesus was born, live, work and
the most important where he died,
the name of the most holy sites are
the Via Dolorosa, The room of the
Last Supper and the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem;
Jerusalem the most wanted place for
many religions; the Church of the
Annunciation in Nazareth and the
Mount of Beatitudes. A lot of
Christians living in Israel are local
Arabs; many peasants work in
churches or monasteries. The
communities are divided into to basic
groups: Caledonian-Orthodox, NonCaledonian
Orthodox
(Monophysite), Roman Catholic and
Protestant.

Tourism in Israel
Israel is a place where it has a lot of
history, a great place to open your
knowledge and learn new different
things.
One could be the Western Wall, is
the most significant site in the world
for the Jewish people. Jewish from
all around the world gather in here
to pray or write letters and put them
on the wall.
Temple Mount is very important for
the Jewish people because according
to them its where many events of
the antique testament take place, the
creation of the world

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began from the Foundation Stone,

also the first human Adam;
Abraham and Jacob where here to;
the wall was made to protect the
temple.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
is the place where Jesus had the
crucifixion and the tomb f Jesus of
Nazareth, Christians from all
around the world come here to see
but most of all pray to God. It has a
big wall for protection that was
made 10 years after the crucifixion.
It has several phrases that remind
you of passages in the life of Jesus,
this is very symbolic for the people
of this religion.
The Dome of the Rock, It enshrines
the rock where Muhammad is said
to have ascended to heaven after a
mysterious night journey from
Mecca to Jerusalem. It has an
Islamic architecture of different
shining mosaics colors; it is a big

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Israeli Lunch / Dinner Foods

The popular food in Israel is

characteristically
very
simple, a typical lunch is
shnitzel with salads, includes
the hummus and tahini, and
served with
rice or mashed potatoes, also
vegetables.
Baba Ganoush a tangy
eggplant spread
Falafel (the picture)- ground
chickpeas mixed with onions
and spices formed into balls
and fried, are served in pita
bread as a sandwich
Hummus a mashed
chickpea spread, hummus
can be served in many ways.
Malawach this flaky round
pastry you can add toppings.
Pita bread the national
bread of Israel
Shnitzel chicken cutlets

Food in Israel

Caf Afuch an
upside-down
cappuccino
Also
they
serve
Turkish
coffee;
strong and thick

Baklava- is a popular dessert

of Arabic origin and consists
of flaky dough layered with
honey and nuts
Knafeh this dessert is made
of shredded pastry, soft
cheese and sweet syrup
Malabi a pudding flavored
with rose water and topped
with nuts
Sahlab a rich, creamy,
sweet hot drink or pudding

Borekas (the picture)

filled
with
cheese,
potatoes, or vegetables
Israeli salad
Jachnun a filling dish
made from dough and
cooked overnight
Israeli
breakfastcomposed of cheeses,
Salads,
olives,
distinctive Israeli bread,
juice and Coffee.

Israeli Snack Foods / Desserts:

Israeli Breakfast Foods:

Israeli Drinks:

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By Marian Fernandez | November 25, 2014

This obviously presents a problem in our

country and our people history, culture and life.
Many of us Jews favor the post-Zionist
organizations and people, whom think that the
Zionist movement already fulfilled its
ideological goal when the State of Israel was
created in 1948. But obviously the Im Zionist
Organization believes otherwise. This issue in
our state is delicate and involves a lot our
religion, which is very pressure for us. What will
happen now? Should the Im Zionist need to be
eliminated? Should we continue living without
part of our Promised Land? Or should we fight
for it like the Im Zionist? Or should we accept
and appreciate what we have, live our lives,
proud of who we are, of our culture and our
history?

Many centuries ago, Jews were forcedly moved

from our land, the Land of Israel. Our history,
culture and land were taken from our hands
and many of us have been fighting for it since
the 19th Century, when Zionism was created.
The lands that once belong to us are Land of
Canaan, the Holy Land and Palestine. As it is
well known, since 2006, a very strong postZionist Israeli organization was created, the Im
Tirtzu. The main objective of the Im Tirtzu is
strengthening and promoting the Zionist values
in Israel. Plus, as many of us now, the Im
Tirtzu is an extra-parliamentary group.

ACTORS INVOLVE
- Im Tirtzu (Organization)
- Israel Government
- Israeli High Court of
Justice
- Jew Citizens

For the last three years, the Israeli High Court

of Justice has been deciding whether or not to
consider and decide if the Im Tirtzu should be
taken as a fascist organization. The Im Tirtzu
has a very old Jewish vision of Israel. They see
Israel as an organic nation. Im Tirtzu sees
the individuals as inseparable parts of a whole
(Sadan, 1). While the government, sees the
state as a partnership between individuals
(Sadan, 1).

Countries:
- Palestine, Israel, Lebanon,
Syria and Jordan (Holy
Land)

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Suggestions to this problem

According to editor Blake Alott, everything

that has to do with Zionism need to be
rejected. Everything since organizations to
suggestions in the government. An example
of this is the Two-State Solution between
Palestine and Israel. Blake Alott states that
the Two-State Solution should be rejected
because if one of the states is Palestine, the
other is the existing, ethnocratic Jewish
state in Palestine a Zionist state with
everything that entails (Allot, 1). Zionists
from Israel want to keep all of their
Promised Land, this includes Gaza and
West Bank. Zionists from Palestine want to
take back what was stolen from them and
make West Bank and Gaza an independent
state. This is the actual Israel/Palestine
conflict and it is obvious to see the Zionism
ideology has a lot to do with it. This
obviously brings trouble between Zionist
groups, considering that both have a strong
and alike ideology but with different goals.

Spring 2016

Political Cartoon

Map of Palestine for Years.

Israeli Zionists in protest for One State.

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Israel vs. Palestine

This conflict has been going on since
around the late 19th century and the early
20th century. It started with nationalist
movements from Arab Muslims and Jews.
Since the tension within both cultures was
evident and was rising rapidly, this led into
a conflict in Levant, that is a region where
western Asia, eastern Mediterranean and
northeast Africa meet. This region has a
very big variety of cultures, religions, and
economic statuses. There is one conflict
that is considered to be very influent in this
Israel-Palestine conflict, The Six Day War of
1967 where Israel took control over the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank, 2 territories
with a great amount of Arab Muslim
population.
To this day, West Bank is controlled by
Palestine authorities, but they are still part
of Israeli territory, this should be a start for
the Muslims to have arguments to make the
West Bank an independent state but the
Israeli Jews are not dumb, they establish
Jewish communities inside this territory
and give them orders to expand, which
makes it easier for the Jews to stop Muslim
revolts
for
independence.
These
communities are protected by the Israeli
army just in case Arabs try to hurt them,
this way they kill 2 birds with one shot, they
increase Jewish population, and have one
reasonable reason to implement their army
in the conflict zone to enforce security.

The never-ending
conflict
This problem became an official conflict
in 1963. Experts made an approximate
calculation with a variety of studies
and they got to the conclusion that
there have been 21,500 casualties to
the year 2013

Political cartoon
This political cartoon cant be more specific and
effective. On the left side of Israel we have an
Arab Muslim and on the right side we have an
Israeli Jew. Both are fighting for the conflict
zone which is all Israel. The figure of Israel has
the Jewish Star of David that is the principal
representation of the Jewish group, and it has
the Palestinian flag as well, which as established
before, are the 2 groups fighting over the
territory they wan.

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Israel vs Palestine
The conflict that has been going on for
centuries and just cant reach a solution.

This is the visual

representation and
localization of where the
issue is taking place.
takes advantage of this situation because they know
that is the easiest way to weaken Gaza, because
without enough food, medicines, and electricity
people can get weaker.

On the left we have the Paestinian Loss of

Land from 1947 to these day. The green
part is Palestinan land and the white part
is Israeli land.

Basically the conflict is over the land that

belongs to Israel that Arab Muslims control. The
Arab Muslim population gave their land the name
of Palestine; over the years they basically established
the name as official to themselves and the general
world. The issue here is that Palestinians want to get
their own state and Israelis oppose to the idea
because it implies that they loose part of their
country. There are a lot of actors involved in this big
issue. We have the previously mentioned Aram
Muslims and the Jews, but we have the UN, we have
the PLO that stands for Palestinian Liberation
Organization, which is runned by the PA, which
stands for Palestinian National Authority. There are
a whole lot in IGOs and NGOs involved in this
conflict and it does not seem that is coming to and
end, or minimum in a short term notice.

On the other hand, the Gaza Strip is

controlled by an Islamist fundamental party called
the Hamas, but, just like the West Bank, its territory
is part of Israel. The Hamas formed in 1987 and won
political power on Gaza in the year of 2006 by U.S.based elections, this made the situation much more
tense and violent. The difference of these two
Palestinian territories is that in 2005 the Israeli Army
pulled out by orders of the former Israeli Prime
Minister, Ariel Shanon. Since then the Israeli army is
not able to go into the Gaza Strip, and Jewish people
are not aloud to settle there either. The relationship
between Gaza and Israel is way much tense than the
one of the West Bank with Israel. There have been
some worldwide known rocket attacks from the
Gaza Strip territory that do directly to Israeli targets.
Israel has taken action into this and sometimes Gaza
is not provided with enough fuel, medicines, food
and electricity that before arriving have to go through
the government of Israel. The Israeli government

This conflict has consequences in the market

of that zone because its very difficult to be certain
that there is not going to be an attack, bombing or
something, that does not help Israel nor the other
country that stops making business with them.

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Suggestions made by editors

Editors say that do to the fact that the situation
is very tense, there are just 2 options, a two state
solution that means that Palestine becomes an
independent state, or a one-state solution that
means that either of the sides gets full control of the
territory. But both of them have a lot of negative
consequences and non of the sides are willing to agree
to loose something.
The two-state solution is what the Palestine
territories, West Bank and Gaza, want, that is what
they been fighting for for so many years, but Israel is
going to do everything in their power not to let that
happen. They have been investing in this cause for a
lot of time and since they already started I doubt that
they are going to stop and let the Palestine community
get what they want. In fact, there were some peace
negotiations going on and everything was going
excellent, actually like never before, but they fell
apart in July and August of this year. This made the
conflict escalate to total war between Israel and
Hamas. This is a realist approach because is what
experts think is going to happen.
On the other side, the one-state solution is
what Israel is fighting for, but in my humble opinion if
this happens, it will be a matter of time before a
revolution takes place because if Israel wins the
Palestinian community is not going to accept the
defeat. A few years ago, the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank were fighting each one by their side for the same
objective, recently they decided to join forces to get to
the same objective, but since the only thing between
them is nothing more and nothing less than Israel,
their enemy. This makes things way more complicated
for everyone. There is a theory that says that when
the West bank merges, the Israeli government will
make the Palestinian leave the country or remove
their right to vote, but this would imply violating
human rights and it would become into a conflict
where the UN will be forced to interfere and the
conflict will get 10 times bigger. This is an idealist
approach on the Israeli side, because is what they
want but it seems difficult for this to happen.
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The perfect dinner only at Touro

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Marian Fernandez

A01193014

Javier Gutierrez

A01193217

Magaly Villaseor

A01193219

Patricia Carrillo

A01192971

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