United State of Israel
| |
| Flag of United State of Israel | |
| Motto: A Light to the Gentiles | |
[
| |
| Region | Middle East |
|---|---|
| Capital | Tel Aviv |
| Official Language(s) | Hebrew, English |
| Leader | King Simon I (Simon Levin) |
| Population | 3 Billion (February 2007 est) |
| Currency | Shekel |
| NS Sunset XML | |
The Republic of the United State of Israel (Hebrew conventional long form: הרפובליקה המאוחדת של מדינת ישראל, conventional short form: ישראל) is a nation in South-west Asian Levant, in the region known as the Middle East. It has a population of around 3 billion people (February 2007 est). It borders Jordan (now Palestine Al-Ittihad) on the north, Romania to the east and west, and Nag Ehgoeg (Gaza) and Ashkelon (Jordan) on the south-west.
Contents
Historic Background
The United State of Israel (USOI) has been establishd by a majority of Jewish citizens of the Land of Israel, who have decided to end wars and foreign imperialistic occupation of their land by creating their own nation.
The United State of Israel has been created peacefully, during negotiations, which divided the land mainly between Jordan and the USOI, with the Gaza Strip under the control of Nag Ehgoeg. A small patch of land links Romania to Jerusalem, who under the agreement was to be administrated by a UN mandate.
A while later the Catholic nation of Jordan, which has been in peace with the USOI, has been taken over the hostile terrorist Almohad forces, who have refused to recognize the USOI's right to exist. The Palestinians have also taken over Jerusalem.
This event has caused a chain reaction which resulted in the election of the right-wing INP (Israeli Nationl Party), under the leadership Yigal Ben-Shalom, a former fighter for the freedom of Israel. Palestine and the USOI have been enemies ever since.
Under Ben-Shalom's government the USOI reached new economic and military heights, and its democracy flourished. But Yigal Ben-Shalom was getting old and ill, and was unable to always function as needed.
The outlawed organization for Greater Israel (GI), whose goal is the territorial expansion of the USOI, based on religious motives, slowly infiltrated Ben-Shalom's government. Eventually, using Defense Minister Simon Levin, the organization assasinated Yigal Ben-Shalom. Simon became the Acting Prime Minister, and a short while later staged a coup d’état.
Currently, democracy has been suspended in the USOI, which has been replaced by the Jewish Monarchy of the United Kingdom of Israel (UKOI), who is headed by Simon Levin himself, now known as King Simon I of Israel. The UKOI is semi-theocratic. It now promotes Jewish orthodox policies at the expense of the nation's religious minorities.
In response to the creation of the UKOI, resistance forces, collectively known as the Front For the Liberation of Israel (FLI), have declared war on the Monarchy. Although their activity has just begun, they already tried to assasinate King Simon, who escaped almost unharmed.
Geography and Climate
The United State of Israel is located in the Eastern Mediterranean coastline. The city of Eilat in the southern tip of the Negev desert is located to the shores of the Red Sea. The USOI is a small nation, with limited natural resources.
Originally, the nation was 90% made of the arid Negev and Judea deserts, however, due to the nation's advanced anti-desetification policy, which includes extensive irrigation and forestering, the desert has been pushed back south and east and currently makes 60% of the nation's territory.
The north of the nation has a typical Mediterranean type climate, with hot, dry summers and cold, rainy winters, with occasional snow in the highlands.
The heighest elevation point is Mount Ramon (3400 feet – 1037 m.) in the Negev, and the lowest point is the Dead Sea (-408 m.)
Government
The United State of Israel has been created as a parliamentary democracy. The USOI's Capital City is Tel Aviv, which is also the nation's largest city and one of the two most important metropolitans, the second being Be'er-Sheva. All key government offices are located in Tel Aviv, as well as all foreign embassies. All citizens over 18 are allowed to vote.
Legislature
The United State of Israel Parliament, located in Tel Aviv, is the nation's unicameral legislative branch. Membership in the Parliament is allocated to parties based on their proportion of the vote, via a proportional representation voting system. Elections to the Parliament are normally held every four years. The Parliament is known throughout the region for its distinctive, Star of David shaped building.
Executive
The Prime Minister of the United State of Israel is both the Head of State and head of government and leads the Cabinet. The last Prime Minister to be democratically elected was Yigal Ben-Shalom. Last Acting Prime Minister was Simon Levin.
Since the creation of the UKOI, the King serves as the Head of State and head of the government, and there is no Prime Minister position.
Legal system
The United State of Israel has a formal constitution, which includes the character of the nation, its main laws and political and human rights. United State of Israel's legal system mixes influences from Anglo-American, Continental and Jewish law.
The USOI has completely seperated state and religion, however the UKOI has cancelled the constitution, and wrote a new one based on the Ten Commandments and Jewish Law (Halakha).
It has also created the National Chief Rabbinate, who now controls all religious affairs in the nation. The Rabbinate has been accused of oppresing the nation's religious minorities and atheists, by creating laws who, among the rest have made Judaism the official state religion of the United Kingdom of Israel. Furthermore, no other religion is recognized by the nation's authorities, and freedom of religion to none Jewish religions was limited to the minimum.
Other decisions included the closure of all shops and work places on the Sabbath, as well as stopping all traffic nationwide, encouraging Israeli Muslims and Chritisians to convert to Judaism, closure of non-kosher restaurants, and the creation of a mandatory fashion code which includes black suits and beards for men and long dresses and head cover for women.
Judiciary
Israel's Judiciary branch is made of a three-tier system of courts. At the lowest level are Magistrate Courts, situated in most cities. Above them are District Courts, serving both as appellate courts and as courts of first instance, situated in five cities: Tel Aviv, Ashdod, Be'er Sheva, Netanya and Eilat.
At the top of the judicial pyramid is the Supreme Court of the United State of Israel seated in Tel Aviv. The Supreme Court serves a dual role as the highest court of appeals and as the body for a separate institution known as the High Court of Justice (HCOJ). The HCOJ has the unique responsibility of addressing petitions presented to the Court by individual citizens. The respondents to these petitions are usually governmental agencies (including the USOI Defense Forces).
Military
The United State of Israel's military is the USOI/DF (United State of Israel Defense Forces). Historically, there have been no separate Israeli military services. The Navy and Air Force are subordinate to the Army. There are other paramilitary agencies that deal with different aspects of Israel's security. The USOI/DF was based on paramilitary underground armies, chiefly Haganah.
The USOI/DF is one of the best funded military forces in the Middle East and ranks among the most best trained armed forces in the world. In terms of personnel, the IDF's main resource is the training quality of its soldiers and expert institutions, rather than sheer numbers of soldiers. It also relies heavily on high technology weapons systems, some developed and manufactured in the United State of Israel Israel for its specific needs, and others imported.
Most Israelis (males and females) are drafted into the military at age 18. Compulsory service is three years for men, and two years for women.
Following compulsory service, Israeli men become part of the USOI/DF reserve forces, and are usually required to serve several weeks every year as reservists until their forties.
Nuclear capability
The USOI, as well as the UKOI, do not admit of having nuclear weapons, although it is widely known that it does. The USOI was reported to test its first nuclear device a few years ago in the central Negev desert.
Economy
The United State of Israel has one of the most highly developed economies in the region, as well as in the world. In the recent years, as the government changed from left-wing to right-wing, it has promoted the decreasing of taxes and encouraged competition, making it a highly capitalist market.
As of February 12th 2007, it has been ranked as the Middle East's best economy in terms of growth and GDP per capita. At its peak, the USOI GDP per capita has reached roughly $42,000 US, however political instablity as well as the increase of taxes for defense purposes has hampered the nation's economic growth. Currently the United State of Israel's GDP per capita is roughly $41,500.
The USOI has a large private sector, led by the Book Publishing industry, followed by Automobile Manufacturing and Woodchip Exports. Because of the nation's insufficient natural resources, its economy is mostly centered around human and technology resources.
As the United State of Israel has liberalized its economy and reduced taxes and spending, the gap between the rich and poor has grown.
The USOI's currency is the Shekel, which is also one of the most powerful currencies in the region, second only to that of Kiensland.
As of the end of January 2007, the Israeli economy statistics were as followed:
Exchange Rate: 1 Shekel = $1.8796
Gross Domestic Product: $120,668,264,856,701.80
GDP Per Capita: $40,780.08
Unemployment Rate: 2.64%
Consumption: $57,580,482,960,000.01
Government Budget: $65,815,322,511,015.02
Government Expenditures: $63,840,862,835,684.57
Goverment Waste: $1,974,459,675,330.45
Exports: $13,300,315,565,147.40
Imports: $14,053,396,504,130.16
Trade Deficit: $753,080,938,982.76
Administration: $0.00 0%
Social Welfare: $1,276,817,256,713.69 2%
Healthcare: $7,660,903,540,282.15 12%
Education: $12,768,172,567,136.91 20%
Religion & Spirituality: $0.00 0%
Defence: $18,513,850,222,348.52 29%
Law & Order: $12,129,763,938,780.07 19%
Commerce: $9,576,129,425,352.69 15%
Public Transport: $2,553,634,513,427.38 4%
The Environment: $0.00 0%
Social Equality: $0.00 0%
The USOI is also trying to establish the Middle East Economic Community (MEEC), whose goal is the creation of a single market between several Middle Eastern nations, which includes the free movement of persons, capital, services and goods.
Demographics
Population
Total: 3 billion (February 2007 est)
Age structure
0-14 years: 28.4%
15-64 years: 64.7%
65 years and over: 13.9%
Population growth rate
1.2% (2006 est)
Note: The United State of Israel gives Jews throughout the world the right for automatic Israeli citizenship. This immigration is responsible for about 30% of the growth of the Jewish population.
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 85.85 years
male: 84.2 years
female: 87.5 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.12 children born/woman (2006.)
Citizenship
noun: Israeli(s)
adjective: Israeli
Ethnic groups
The United State of Israel is divided to the following ethnic groups: Jewish - 86%, Arab 12%, others - 2%.
Of the Jewish population, roughly 30% are Europe/North American borned, and 10% are Asia/North Africa borned. 60% are Israeli borned, whose parents came mostly from Europe (70%) and North Africa (25%).
Religions
The population of the United State of Israel has always been highly atheist.
Judaism - 40% (includes 20% "traditionalists")
Genesian Catholics - 9%
Sunni Muslim - 5%
Languages
Hebrew (official), English (official). Foreign languages commonly used are Yiddish, French, Russian and German. Arabic is being used officially for the Arab minority. Legislation is pending for the making of Yiddish as one of the official languages.
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98.3%
female: 95.6% (2006 est.)
Education between kindergarten and Bachelor's degree is free, and compulsary between ages 5 and 18. There are five university-level institutions in the United State of Israel, which young Israelis attend after the finishing of their military service.
