Regional

Israel’s territory is 8,019 square miles (sq. mi.).

That makes it smaller than…

Israel’s Size Compared to Arab World

1
/625 (1/6 of 1 percent)
‡ ,VUDHO¶VODQGPDVVLVDERXW
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‡ 5.5 million Israeli Jews;
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Christian Population in the Middle East

Israel is the only Middle Eastern country where the
Christian population is thriving instead of disappearing.
Between 1948 and 1998, Israel’s Christians grew fourfold,
from 34,000 to 130,000.

World Religions
Christianity: 2 billion people
Islam: 1.3 billion people
Hinduism: 900 million people
Buddhism: 360 million people
Judaism: 14 million people
85/ OLQNVIRUDOOVRXUFHVFLWHGLQWKLVERRNOHWDUHDWZZZVWDQGZLWKXVFRP
2
 Map

Arab League
countries
Non-Arab
countries
Religious majorities in
countries around the world
‡ ,VODPLF
‡ 5RPDQ&DWKROLF
‡ 3URWHVWDQW
‡ 12 Eastern Orthodox
‡ 4 Hindu
‡ 1 Jewish

In the following pages, you will learn how the Jewish people restored their national independence in their ancestral
homeland after 2,000 years of living under the rule of others. You will see how this young state built a vibrant society
and how it lives up to the ethical and humanitarian ideals of both its ancient heritage and of modern times despite the
challenges it faces. 

You will also learn about global terrorism. Some terrorist organizations described in this booklet have cells around the
world and have attacked countries worldwide, from the U.S. to India. Because of its location and history, Israel has been
forced to stand on the frontlines of the global war against organized terrorism. 3
 A continuous Jewish presence in Israel for over 3,000 years.
“Who can challenge the
rights of the Jews in
Palestine? Good Lord,
historically it is really your
country.”
Yusuf Diya al-Khalidi,
Mayor of Jerusalem,1899.
“It is, indeed, not the birth
of a nation, for the Jewish
nation through centuries
of oppression and captivity
have preserved their
sentiment of nationality as
few peoples could...it is
the rebirth of a nation.”
/RUG5REHUW&HFLO 
“We Arabs, especially the
educated among us, look
with deepest sympathy on
the Zionist movement.…
We will wish the Jews a
hearty welcome home...
our two movements
complement one another.”
Emir Faisal, a leader of
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“It is manifestly right that
the scattered Jews should
have a national center
and a national home and
be reunited, and where
else but in Palestine, with
which for 3,000 years they
have been intimately and
profoundly associated?”
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4
Zion is an age-old name for Jerusalem and the land of Israel.
=LRQLVPLVWKHQDWLRQDOOLEHUDWLRQPRYHPHQWRIWKH-HZLVK
people who sought to restore their freedom and independence
in their ancestral homeland.
Theodore Herzl founded the modern Zionist movement in
EXWWKHGUHDPRIUHVWRUDWLRQDQGUHWXUQKDGDOZD\V
EHHQDWWKHFRUHRI-XGDLVPDQG-HZLVKLGHQWLW\5RPHThe WULHGremains of Gamla,
WRREOLWHUDWHWKHPLOOHQQLDROG-HZLVKFHQWXU\ VWDWHLQevidence
WKH¿UVW of an ancient
Jewish city in the Golan
EXWXQOLNHRWKHUQDWLRQVFRQTXHUHGLQDQFLHQWWLPHV WKH
Heights where, in-HZV
67
survived and never lost their profound attachment to their C.E., Jews fought to the
last person against the
land of origin. Jews lived in the land of Israel continuously for Roman army. Thousands
3,000 years. Those forced into exile expressed their yearning of inhabitants were killed.
Others jumped to their
to return in their daily liturgy and prayers. For 2,000 years, deaths from Gamla’s
PDQ\FDPHEDFNLQSHULRGLFZDYHVRILPPLJUDWLRQ%\WKH cliffsODWH
to avoid capture
and certain slavery. The
1860s, Jews once again were the majority in Jerusalem.1 city was destroyed and
never rebuilt.
Zionists adapted this historic dream to modern political ideals
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PRYHPHQWVDQGGULYHQE\RQJRLQJDQWL-HZLVKSHUVHFXWLRQ
and discrimination that occurred even in progressive Europe.
7KH=LRQLVWVEHOLHYHGWKDWLIWKHVFDWWHUHG-HZVUHXQLWHGLQ
their historic homeland, joining the Jews who were already
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DQGIXUWKHUGHYHORS WKHLU
XQLTXH FXOWXUH
Disagreements arose among Zionists as Jews from different
countries and with different ideologies—religious and secular, The “Kotel ha-Ma’aravi”—
socialist and conservative—joined together. But they united the Western Wall
DURXQGIXQGDPHQWDOSULQFLSOHVWKDWFRPELQHGLGHDOLVP DQGwall on
This outer retaining
SUDFWLFDOLW\7KH\ZRXOGVHHNRI¿FLDOVXSSRUWIURPRWKHU the west side of the Temple
Mount was all that remained
national governments. They would return legally, purchase the after the Romans destroyed
ODQGDQGUHVWRUHLWWKURXJKWKHLURZQODERU=LRQLVWV HQYLVLRQHG
the Second Temple in 70 C.E.
OLYLQJLQIULHQGVKLSZLWKQRQ-HZLVKUHVLGHQWVDQGItsite, became Judaism’s holiest
EHOLHYHG WKH
and for centuries, Jews
HQWLUHUHJLRQZRXOGEHQH¿WIURPWKHLUUHVWRUDWLRQ RIWKH
worshipped at theODQG
Kotel and
put their prayers, written
on scraps of paper, into its
:LWKLQ\HDUVWKH=LRQLVWGUHDPEHFDPHDUHDOLW\%ULWDLQ
crevices.
UHFRJQL]HGWKHWKULYLQJFRPPXQLWLHV-HZVKDGEXLOWDQGLQWKH
1917 Balfour Declaration, endorsed the “Zionist aspirations.”
In 1920, the League of Nations reinforced this commitment
and carved out the Palestine Mandate from the defeated
Ottoman Empire for the Jewish homeland.
2Q0D\,VUDHOZDVUHHVWDEOLVKHGDVDPRGHUQVWDWH
DQGUHFRJQL]HGE\WKHFRPPXQLW\RIQDWLRQV,WOLYHGXSWRWKH
When the Romans defeated
=LRQLVWGUHDP,VUDHOEHJDQZLWKD-HZLVKPDMRULW\WKDW the Jews inKDG 70 C.E., they
purchased and settled the land and accorded full civil, political built this “Titus Arch” in
DQGFXOWXUDOULJKWVWRDOO LWVPLQRULWLHVLQFOXGLQJ$UDEV0XVOLPVRome to commemorate
their victory. The sculpture
and Christians. depicts the booty the
Romans took when they
Today, Jewish and non-Jewish Zionists around the world ransacked and destroyed
the Second Temple in
support the State of Israel and hope to see the full Zionist Jerusalem. The Roman
vision realized—a safe and thriving Israel living at peace victors named the conquered
2
ZLWKLWVQHLJKERUV Jewish region “Palestine.”
 Jews are one of the few ancient peoples who have survived into
modern times. Judaism is among the world’s oldest living religions.
Jewish civilization was already over the grieving and spell out how the
1,000 years old when the Romans community should support and
FRQTXHUHG-XGHDEXWWKH-HZV console the mourners.
VDIHJXDUGHGWKHLUXQLTXHKHULWDJHIRU
the next two millennia. No matter how Jewish life centers around home and
far they wandered, how much they IDPLO\-HZLVKWUDGLWLRQVDQFWL¿HV
Fragment of a family relationships. Parents’
adapted to their host societies or how sixth-century mosaic
much they were persecuted, Jews (Byzantine Period) GHYRWLRQDQGVHQVHRIUHVSRQVLELOLW\
maintained their identity. depicting King David for passing on Jewish identity have
playing the lyre,
found in the ancient
ERXQGJHQHUDWLRQVWRWKHSDVWZKLOH
-XGDLVPDQGLWVVDFUHGERRNVELQG synagogue of Gaza. linking them to the future.
WKH-HZLVKSHRSOHWRJHWKHU:KHWKHU —Israel Museum

they are religious or secular, Jews -HZVKDYHDOZD\VLGHQWL¿HGZLWK

DUHFRQQHFWHGE\WKHHWKLFVDQG
values that Judaism teaches. Parents
have passed the tradition to their
children, who passed it on to their
own children, and so it has continued
for thousands of years.
-HZVHYHU\ZKHUHREVHUYHWKHKRO\
days in almost identical ways and
repeat the rituals and prayers that
Jewish families have used since the
days of ancient Israel.
Jews share the same life-cycle
ULWXDOV:KHQDQHLJKWGD\ROG
infant is circumcised or adolescents
FHOHEUDWHWKHLU%DU0LW]YDKDQG
WKHZKROHFRPPXQLW\FHOHEUDWHV
they are reenacting age-old Jewish
WUDGLWLRQV:KHQDORYHGRQHGLHV
Jewish customs and prayers comfort
A boy carries a Torah Scroll at his Bar
Mitzvah at the Western Wall.
“Jews prefer being prisoners
in Jerusalem to enjoying the
freedom they could acquire
elsewhere….The love of the
Jews for the Holy Land which
they lost…is unbelievable.”
Jesuit Father Michael Naud on his
pilgrimage to the Holy Land, 1674.3
Zion, the Jewish homeland. It is at
the core of Jewish history, religious
texts and identity. Many consider
WLWOHWRWKHODQGWREHDWWKHKHDUWRI
WKHSURPLVHEHWZHHQ*GDQGWKH
Jewish people in the Torah, which
GDWHVEDFNWKRXVDQGVRI\HDUV7KH
+HEUHZODQJXDJH WKH 7RUDKWKH ODZV
in the Talmud, the Jewish calendar
and Jewish holidays and festivals
all originated in ancient Israel
and revolve around its seasons,
way of life and history. Zion and
Jerusalem are mentioned 809 times
LQWKH+HEUHZ%LEOH:KHQ,VUDHO
ZDVUHHVWDEOLVKHGLQ-HZV
HYHU\ZKHUHFDPHWRHPEUDFH,VUDHO
and once again recognize
it as the center of Jewish life
and continuity.

“The Greeks and the Romans...are gone; other people have sprung up and held their
torch high for a time but it burned out...the Jews saw them all, survived them all...all
things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces passed, but he remains.
What is the secret of his immortality? ” —Mark Twain, 1898 4
1 2
'RUH*ROG³-HUXVDOHPLQ,QWHUQDWLRQDO'LSORPDF\'HPRJUDSK\´Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs2FWREHU 0LFKDHO*UDQWThe Jews in the Roman
3
WorldS(OOLRWW $ *UHHQ³:KDW'LG5RPH&DOOWKH/DQGRI,VUDHO«´ Midstream2FWREHU R.P. Michael Naud, Voyage Nouveau de la Terre-
Sainte, Paris, 1702, pp. 58, 563. 4Mark Twain, “Concerning the Jews,” Harper’s Magazine, March 1898.

5
 1
0LFKDHO*UDQWThe Jews in the Roman World, S(OOLRWW $ *UHHQ³:KDW'LG5RPH&DOO
WKH/DQGRI,VUDHO«´LQMidstream2FWREHU 2League of Nations, “An Interim Report on the Civil
6 Administration of Palestine, during the period 1st July, 1920-30th June, 1921,” July 1921.
1
%DOIRXU'HFODUDWLRQ1RYHPEHU 2Treaty of Sevres, Section VII, Article 94, August 10, 1920.
3
Council of the League of Nations,The Palestine Mandate, Article 6, July 24, 1922.