Israel

Understand

History

Until the Middle Ages

While the current state of Israel is a relatively new country founded in 1948, the "land of Israel" has a long, complex history stretching back thousands of years to the beginnings of human civilization. It's been invaded by virtually every Old World empire including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Mongols, Ottomans, French (with Napoleon as general), and British. It is the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity, and also contains sacred sites of Islam and the Baha'i Faith.

Israel has been inhabited for tens of thousands of years, with Neanderthal remains from the region dating back 50,000 years. Its strategic location serving as a land bridge from Asia to Egypt and the rest of Africa made Israel an ideal target for conquerors through the ages. The first nation to conquer the land was Egypt, in the 16th century BC. In the Fifth Year of Pharaoh Merenptah (roughly 1208 BC) Israel is mentioned on a stele as having been "laid waste" (likely a propaganda exaggeration), which constitutes the first mention of Israel known to history. Incidentally that same year is also the date of an inscription on behalf of the same Pharaoh mentioning the "Sea Peoples" who are often blamed for the virtual collapse of urban and writing society in the eastern Mediterranean of the time, ushering in - among other things - the "Greek Dark Ages" and the collapse of the Hittite Empire. In approximately 1000 BC, an Israelite kingdom was set up under King Saul. According to the Biblical account, King Saul was succeeded by kings David and Solomon, but after Solomon's death the kingdom split in two (though many historians contend that the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were never united but instead were always rival ki

Getting there

If you are Jewish and aged 18 to 26, you are entitled to a free 10-day all expenses paid trip to Israel run by Birthright Israel. As part of this trip, you will be taken to the various cultural, religious, and natural sites around Israel, and may get a chance to interact with university students or with soldiers of the IDF.

Entry requirements

All foreign nationals entering Israel must have a visa or an electronic travel authorization (ETA-IL). Electronic travel authorization is available to citizens of certain countries and allows to visit Israel for tourism for up to 90 days. Travelers can check eligibility and apply for an ETA on the official website, the cost is ₪25. Citizens of the following countries/territories are eligible for an ETA (official list here): all European Union member states, Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macau, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay and Vanuatu. If, however, you are suspected of illegal or anti-Israeli activities, being of Arab descent or Muslim, there is a possibility of you being subject to additional questioning

Getting around

Israel generally has a modern, sophisticated travel network, although public transit service is not as good as in Europe or East Asia. It is safe and easy to get around the country, although it can be slow (due to traffic, or slow or infrequent buses). Israelis are always willing to help a lost tourist, so never be afraid to ask people for directions or advice. Travelers should also be aware of Shabbat (Hebrew: שבָּת), the Hebrew word often spelled "Sabbath" in English. From Friday at 16:00 until Saturday at 18:00 (November to March) or 21:00 (April to October), With the exception of Nazareth, Haifa, East Jerusalem and Eilat, public transport services are completely stopped. Included to Tel Aviv airport. In Tel Aviv during the Shabat the municipality operates shuttles with a frequency of every 20 minutes, information about which is available at the bus stations, and in the Google Maps and moovit applications. There will be limited taxi service, and a weekend surcharge applies. Public transport is used heavily by soldiers traveling to/from their bases, so a bus or train packed full of soldiers (some armed) is a common occasion and does not indicate any special occurrence. There is a particularly large number of soldiers mainly in the intercity transport on Thursday afternoon and on Sunday morning. The official national call ce