Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA];
Green Leaf Party (no longer active) [Boaz WACHTEL and Shlomi
SANDAK]; Herut (no longer active) [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party
[Shimon PERES]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz (merged with
YAHAD) [Zahava GALON]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [Azmi
BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Ephraim "Efie" EITAM]; National
Union (Haichud Haleumi) [Avigdor LIBERMAN] (includes Tekuma Moledet
and Yisra'el Beiteinu); One Nation [David TAL]; Shas [Eliyahu
YISHAI]; Shinui [Yosef "Tommy" LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd
al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN]; YAHAD
[Yossi BEILIN]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA (merged with Likud) [Natan
SHARANSKY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank
and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settler
interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors
human rights abuses
International organization participation:
BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5560 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7369/7453/7454/7457/7458/7551/7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government
Flag description:
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
Economy Israel
Economy - overview:
Israel has a technologically advanced 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. Israel imports
substantial quantities of grain, but is largely self-sufficient in
other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable 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 US, which is its major source of economic and
military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties
in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and
fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small
declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,
with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,
rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demand
for Israeli exports boosted GDP by 3.9%.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$129 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2004 est.)