Location
Eastern Mediterranean.
Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from first Sunday in April to second Saturday in September).
Area
6,165 sq km (2,380 sq miles) made up of the West Bank territories, 5,800 sq km (2,240 sq miles) and the Gaza Strip, 365 sq km (141sq miles).
Population
3.9 million (UN estimate 2005). (Around 4 million Palestinians currently live outside the Occupied Territories of West Bank and Gaza, the largest number in Jordan.)
Population
632.6 per sq km.
Capital
Ramallah. (Intended seat of government: East Jerusalem.) Population: 120,000 (2003).
Geography
The two territories of Palestine lie within Israel, around 40km (25 miles) apart at their closest point. The West Bank is to the west of the River Jordan, bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel to the north, south and west. The Gaza Strip, in Israel's southwest, is a narrow stretch of land bordered by the Mediterranean to the west and Egypt to the south. The Great Rift Valley follows the path of the River Jordan running along the West Bank and through the lowest point in the world, the Dead Sea at 390m (1,280ft) below sea level, before continuing on into Eastern Africa. The Jordanian Valley is green and fertile; the south contains the Judean Desert.
Government
Parliamentary Republic.
Head of State
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas since 2005.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad since June 2007.
History
Mahmoud Abbas, candidate of the ruling Fatah faction, won the January 2005 poll to replace the late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat. Regarded as a moderate, he has condemned the armed Palestinian uprising and favours the resumption of negotiations with Israel. But his primary challenge is to deal with the militant Islamic group, Hamas, who scored a stunning win in January 2006 parliamentary elections - the first the group had ever taken part in. This dominance of Hamas has met with worldwide controversy; many nations refuse to negotiate with a party that will not recognise Israel or which condones terrorist activity. The USA and the EU severed financial aid shortly after Hamas took power in March 2006. In December 2006 the UN announced it needed US$450 million to prevent a Palestinian humanitarian crisis; a direct consequence of the economic damage caused by the international boycott and numerous Israeli-imposed restrictions. In June 2007, following days of violence and fighting in Gaza, Mahmoud Abbas set up a new Fatah-led government and the EU announced financial aid would be resumed as soon as proper mechanisms for making payments were set up.
Language
Arabic is the official language. English and Hebrew are widely spoken.
Religion
Muslim, Christian and Judaism minority.
Electricity
230 volts AC, 59Hz.
Social Conventions
Women in particular should dress modestly. Ramallah is less strict than other areas but bare shoulders, shorts and short skirts are still inadvisable. Visitors may choose not to eat, drink or smoke in public places between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan in order to avoid causing offence.
Visitors should also be sensitive when taking pictures of military or police personnel and installations, and when photographing people in Muslim and Orthodox Jewish areas. It is advisable to carry identification at all times, and photocopies of the date and entry stamp on your passport.
Guest in private houses may well be offered plenty of cups of sweet tea. It is considered rude to refuse any food or drink offered so try everything. When the tea is swapped for coffee it is a sign that it is time to leave.
Money and Currency
The currency is the New Israel Shekel (NIS) or shekel for short. There are 100 agorot (agora in singular) in each shekel. Bank notes are in denominations of NIS 20, 50, 100, and 200; coins are in denominations of NIS10, NIS5, NIS2, NIS1 and 50, 10 and 5 agorot. In addition, US Dollors & Euro currency can be used in many touristic places.
Money
Unlimited sums of local and foreign money may be brought into country as cash, travelers’ checks, credit cards. Foreign currency of all kinds may be exchanged at the airport, banks, post offices, most hotels or licensed exchange agencies in large cities. A passport is required when exchanging travelers’ checks. The rates vary from place to place, and banks charge a commission. It is recommended, though not obligatory, to carry a small amount of US dollars, since certain tourist sites, especially in the Old City of Jerusalem, take payment in dollars.
Cash Withdrawal
Holders of international credit cards can withdraw local or foreign currency at banks which accept their credit cards. There are Automated Teller Machines outside most banks.
Tips
It is customary to tip primarily in restaurants. When the bill does not include service, a 12% tip should be added to the payment. In hotels, one tips the bellhop or any other service provider. Taxi drivers are generally not tipped.
Climate
The Holy Land enjoys long, warm, dry summers (April-October) and generally mild winters (November-March) with somewhat drier, cooler weather in hilly regions, such as Jerusalem and Safed.
Rainfall is relatively heavy in the north and center of the country. Regional conditions vary considerably, with humid summers and mild winters on the coast; dry summers and moderately cold winters in the hill regions; hot dry summers and pleasant winters in the Jordan Valley.
Weather extremes range from occasional winter snowfall in the mountain regions to periodic oppressively hot dry winds that send temperatures soaring, particularly in spring and autumn.
Electrical appliances
The power supply is single phase 220 volts at 50 Hertz. Most power sockets in the country have three pin holes, but many of them will work with double-pin European plugs.
Visitors who want to use shavers, traveling irons and other small appliances may need both transformers and adaptor plugs.
Ben Gurion Airport Regulations
Security Check
Passengers must arrive at the airport three hours before departure time. Passengers arriving at the airport must first undergo a security check. Passengers and their luggage are inspected by airport personnel with modern security equipment.
Passport control
After the security check in the departure hall, passengers continue to passport control. They must present their passport, airline ticket, and the form that they filled out upon arrival in Israel.
Check-In
After passport control each passenger must check in at the counter of the airline they are flying. They will then check in their luggage and receive a boarding pass and seat number.
Ports of entry
Travel by Air
Most of the international airlines operate flights to the holy land through the Israeli Ben-Gurion Airport.
There are no direct flights to the Holy Land through Ben - Gurion Airport from distant locations such as Australia or South Africa, or from countries that have no diplomatic relations with Israel. Therefore, it is preferable to reserve a connecting flight from these places, or to arrive in Europe and then purchase a ticket to the Holy Land.
Travel by Sea
Several shipping lines offer scheduled sailings from Europe to Haifa Port. Passengers can board in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey or Egypt and enter the Holy Land through Haifa Port, Tel Aviv, Ashdod or Eilat.
Travel by Land
Land entry into the Holy Land is possible through Egypt and Jordan
To / From Jordan:
- The King Hussein Bridge (Allenby Bridge) (close to Jericho)
- The Sheikh Hussein Bridge (close to Beisan in the North)
- The Arava crossing (close to Eilat)
To / From Egypt:
- Taba Border (Eilat)