Capital: Jerusalem
note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem its capital in 1950, but the US,
like nearly all other countries, does not recognize this status, and
maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
Administrative divisions: 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz);
Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
Independence: 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under
British administration)
National holiday: Independence Day, 14 May 1948 (Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May)
Constitution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law
Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) election
last held 24 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1999); results -
Ezer WEIZMAN elected by Knesset
head of government: Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN (since NA July 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet; selected from and approved by the Knesset
Legislative branch: unicameral
parliament (Knesset): elections last held NA June 1992 (next to be
held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120
total) Labor 44, Likud 32, MERETZ 12, Tzomet 8, National Religious
Party 6, SHAS 6, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front for Peace and
Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 3, Arab Democratic Party 2; note - in
1994 four legislators broke party ranks, resulting in the following
new distribution of seats - Labor Party 44, Likud bloc 32, MERETZ 12,
National Religious Party 6, SHAS 6, Tzomet 5, United Torah Jewry 4,
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 2, Arab
Democratic Party 2, independents 4 (1 in coalition, 3 voting with
opposition)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court