Political parties and leaders:
members of the government: Labor Party, Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN;
MERETZ, Minister of Communications Shulamit ALONI; independent, Gonen
SEGEV
not in coalition, but voting with the government: Democratic Front for
Peace and Equality (Hadash), Hashim MAHAMID; Arab Democratic Party,
Abd al Wahab DARAWSHAH
opposition parties: Likud Party, Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael
EITAN; National Religious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; United Torah Jewry,
Avraham SHAPIRA; Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI; Peace Guard (independent),
Shaul GUTMAN; SHAS, Arieh DERI
note: Israel currently has a coalition government comprising 2 parties
and an independent that hold 57 seats of the Knesset's 120 seats
Other political or pressure groups: Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists
advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace
Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical
of government's Lebanon policy
Member of: AG (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD,
ECE, FAO, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS
(observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Itamar RABINOVICH chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5610 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin INDYK embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv mailing address: PSC 98, Box 100, Tel Aviv; APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 517-4338 FAX: [972] (3) 663-449 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem
Flag: white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
@Israel:Economy
Overview: Israel has a market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Industry employs about 22% of Israeli workers, construction 6.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.5%, and services most of the rest. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are leading exports. Israel usually posts current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the United States, which is its major source of economic and military aid. To earn needed foreign exchange, Israel has been targeting high-technology niches in international markets, such as medical scanning equipment. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR, which topped 450,000 during the period 1990-94, increased unemployment, intensified housing problems, and strained the government budget. At the same time, the immigrants bring to the economy valuable scientific and professional expertise.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $70.1 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate: 6.8% (1994 est.)