Is·ra·el 1 ( z r - l)n. 1. Bible a. Jacob. b. The descendants of Jacob. 2. Judaism The Hebrew people, past, present, and future, regarded as the chosen people of God by virtue of the covenant of Jacob. [Middle English, from Old English, from Latin, from Greek Isra l, from Hebrew yi r 'l, God has striven, God has saved : yir, he has striven, saved; see ry in Semitic roots + 'l, God; see  l in Semitic roots.] |
| Is·ra·el 2 (zr-l) 1. An ancient kingdom of Palestine founded by Saul c. 1025 b.c. After 933 it split into the Northern Kingdom, or kingdom of Israel, and the kingdom of Judah to the south. Israel was overthrown by the Assyrians in 721. 2. A country of southwest Asia on the eastern Mediterranean Sea. It was established in 1948 following the British withdrawal from Palestine, which had been divided by recommendation of the United Nations into Jewish and Arab states. Discord with neighboring Arab countries that had rejected the UN partition led to numerous wars, notably in 1948-1949, 1956-1957, 1967, and 1973. In the Six-Day War of 1967 Israel occupied the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jerusalem's Old City, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula. The Golan Heights and Jerusalem were later annexed, and the Sinai was returned to Egypt in 1982. A 1993 Israeli-Palestinian accord granted limited Palestinian autonomy in the Gaza Strip, and a similar accord calling for Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank was signed in 1994. Jerusalem is the capital and Tel Aviv-Yafo the largest city. Population: 6,430,000. |   |
Israel [ˈɪzreɪəl -rɪəl]
n
1. (Placename) a republic in SW Asia, on the Mediterranean Sea: established in 1948, in the former British mandate of Palestine, as a primarily Jewish state; 8 disputes with Arab neighbours (who did not recognize the state of Israel), erupted into full-scale wars in 1948, 1956, 1967 (the Six Day War), and 1973 (the Yom Kippur War). In 1993 Israel agreed to grant autonomous status to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, according to the terms of a peace agreement with the P.L.O. Official languages: Hebrew and Arabic. Religion: Jewish majority, Muslim and Christian minorities. Currency: shekel. Capital: Jerusalem (international recognition withheld as East Jerusalem was annexed (1967) by Israel: UN recognized capital: Tel Aviv). Pop.: 6 258 000 (2001 est). Area (including Golan Heights and East Jerusalem): 21 946 sq. km (8473 sq. miles)
2. (Placename)
a. the ancient kingdom of the 12 Hebrew tribes at the SE end of the Mediterranean
b. the kingdom in the N part of this region formed by the ten northern tribes of Israel in the 10th century bc and destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 bc
3. (Non-Christian Religions / Judaism) Informal the Jewish community throughout the world
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  Israel - Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestineal-Asifa, al-Fatah, Fatah - a Palestinian political and military organization founded by Yasser Arafat in 1958 to work toward the creation of a Palestinian state; during the 1960s and 1970s trained terrorist and insurgent groups; "al-Fatah carried out numerous acts of international terrorism in western Europe and the Middle East in the 1970s" Fatah Tanzim, Tanzim - a terrorist group organized by Yasser Arafat in 1995 as the armed wing of al-Fatah; serves a dual function of violent confrontation with Israel and serves as Arafat's unofficial militia to prevent rival Islamists from usurping leadership Kach, Kahane Chai - a terrorist organization founded for Jewish defense; fights antisemitism and hopes to restore the biblical state of Israel PFLP-GC, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command - a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organization that conducted several attacks in western Europe 15 May Organization - a terrorist organization formed in 1979 by a faction of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine but disbanded in the 1980s when key members left to join a faction of al-Fatah Iz Al-Din Al-Qassam Battalions, Qassam Brigades, Salah al-Din Battalions - the military arm of Hamas responsible for suicide bombings and other attacks on Israel kibbutz - a collective farm or settlement owned by its members in modern Israel; children are reared collectively moshav - a cooperative Israeli village or settlement comprised of small farms Haganah - the clandestine military wing of the Jewish leadership during the British rule over the mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948; became the basis for the Israeli defense force IDF, Israeli Defense Force - the ground and air and naval forces of Israel sayeret, Sayeret Mat'kal, Sayeret Matkal - Israel's elite secret commando unit responsible for counterterrorist and top secret intelligence gathering and hostage rescue missions A'man - the Israeli military intelligence which produces comprehensive national intelligence briefings for the prime minister and the cabinet Mossad - the Israeli foreign intelligence agency; "the primary focus of the Mossad is on Arab nations" General Security Services, Shin Bet - the Israeli domestic counterintelligence and internal security agency; "the Shin Bet also handles overall security for Israel's national airline" Middle East, Mideast, Near East - the area around the eastern Mediterranean; from Turkey to northern Africa and eastward to Iran; the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia and Babylon and Egypt and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and Islam; had continuous economic and political turmoil in the 20th century; "the Middle East is the cradle of Western civilization" West Bank - an area between Israel and Jordan on the west bank of the Jordan river; populated largely by Palestinians Galilee - an area of northern Israel; formerly the northern part of Palestine and the ancient kingdom of Israel; the scene of Jesus's ministry Gaza, Gaza Strip - a coastal region at the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean bordering Israel and Egypt; "he is a Palestinian from Gaza" Golan, Golan Heights - a fortified hilly area between southern Lebanon and southern Syria; "artillery on the Golan Heights can dominate a large area of Israel" capital of Israel, Jerusalem - capital and largest city of the modern state of Israel (although its status as capital is disputed); it was captured from Jordan in 1967 in the Six Day War; a holy city for Jews and Christians and Muslims; was the capital of an ancient kingdom Caesarea - an ancient seaport in northwestern Israel; an important Roman city in ancient Palestine Sodom - (Old Testament) an ancient city near the Dead Sea that (along with Gomorrah) was destroyed by God for the wickedness of its inhabitants Gomorrah, Gomorrha - (Old Testament) an ancient city near the Dead Sea that (along with Sodom) was destroyed by God for the vice and depravity of its inhabitants Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Tel Aviv-Yalo - the largest city and financial center of Israel; located in western Israel on the Mediterranean Negev, Negev Desert - a desert in southern Israel Dead Sea - a saltwater lake on the border between Israel and Jordan; its surface in 1292 feet below sea level Mount Carmel - a mountain range in northwestern Israel near the Mediterranean coast; "according to the Old Testament, Elijah defeated the priests of Baal at Mount Carmel" |
| 2. | Israel - an ancient kingdom of the Hebrew tribes at the southeastern end of the Mediterranean Sea; founded by Saul around 1025 BC and destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC Middle East, Mideast, Near East - the area around the eastern Mediterranean; from Turkey to northern Africa and eastward to Iran; the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia and Babylon and Egypt and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and Islam; had continuous economic and political turmoil in the 20th century; "the Middle East is the cradle of Western civilization" Israelite - a native or inhabitant of the ancient kingdom of Israel |
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