Israel's history dates back to the 10th century BC, after which it experienced the tragic fate of being conquered, expelled, persecuted, and divided several times, until 1948, when it regained its independence. Since then, Israel has faced hostility and threats from neighboring Arab countries and has had to defend its survival and security in the midst of war.
In such an environment, Israel has shown amazing resilience and creativity, becoming a country with the world's leading level in science and technology, education, agriculture, military and other aspects, known as the "Middle East bully". This article will take you through a series of facts to get you to know the most real Israel.
By and large, Israel is not a belligerent state, but a country that cannot afford to lose. Most people have the impression that Israel has always been on the brink of war, a belligerent and warlike country. In fact, Israel's frequent involvement in wars is due to the fact that it has no way back.
Since its founding was announced in 1948, Israel has been met with hostility and attacks from neighboring Arab countries, and has fought five Middle East wars. In these wars, Israel has won but also paid a heavy price. If Israel loses one of these wars, it could lead to the extermination of its nation. Israel must therefore remain vigilant and vigilant in safeguarding its security and interests.
Although Israel is located in the Middle East, it is very different from other Middle Eastern countries. On the one hand, in terms of energy, Israel does not have rich oil resources like other Middle Eastern energy countries, but is a country that relies on imports almost all of its energy.
On the other hand, in terms of economy, Israel has the highest level of economic development, freedom of commerce, freedom of the press, and overall human development index in the Middle East. This is due to Israel's high priority on education, science and technology and innovation, and has achieved remarkable achievements in these areas.
In addition, Israel has the highest density of entrepreneurship in the world. Every year, thousands of new companies are born on the land, and an average of a few hundred people start a company. The number of companies listed on the NASDAQ is second only to North America and China, far more than Europe combined. These companies cover a wide range of industries and sectors, from agriculture to healthcare, from communications to cybersecurity. Among them are some well-known brands and products, such as Waze, Mobileye, Wix and so on.
In Israel, every citizen who reaches the age of 18 must participate in compulsory military service, with three years for men and two years for women. This is because Israel believes that national defense is the responsibility and obligation of every citizen, and that sufficient sources of troops are needed in war.
Of the first-world countries, only three (Israel, South Korea and Singapore) have compulsory military service longer than 18 months. In the army, Israelis not only receive military training and combat experience, but also learn skills such as teamwork, leadership, and innovative thinking, which will greatly help them in their later professional and social life.
It is worth noting that Israel is a country that values education and knowledge, and it has the highest university graduation rate in the world. According to statistics, 45% of Israeli citizens have a university degree. There are 8 universities and 27 junior colleges in the country, of which 4 are among the top 150 universities in the world and 7 are among the top 100 universities in the Asia-Pacific region.
Israeli universities not only provide high-quality education, but also train many outstanding scientists, writers, artists, politicians, and other talents. Israel is also one of the countries with the most Nobel laureates, with 12 Israelis having won Nobel Prizes since 2002.
Located on the edge of the desert, Israel is a country with severe water scarcity, with more than 60% of the country in arid and semi-arid conditions, only 1/4 of the world average. However, the Jews against the heavens had mastered the most advanced and efficient irrigation technology and owned the world's largest drip irrigation agricultural company.
Through drip irrigation, the Israelis grew a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and other crops in the desert, turning the desert into an oasis. Israel has also extended the technology to Africa, Asia and Latin America, helping many countries and regions that lack water.
以色利还是世界上武器出口最多的国家之一，其每年军售额可达100多亿美元。 This is because Israel has its own high-level military-industrial industry, producing a variety of advanced weapons and equipment, such as tanks, fighters, missiles, drones, satellites, etc. These weapons and equipment provide not only Israel's own defense, but also options for other countries.
Israel's major arms importers include India, the United States, Ukraine, Colombia and others. Israel also maintains close military cooperation with the United States, which provides more than $3 billion in military aid to Israel each year.
Excluding Jews, about 20% of Israel's population is Arab. These Arabs living in Israel live in peace with the Jews, enjoy the same rights and guarantees of the state, and even have their own members in the Parliament.
Arabs living in Israel are free to choose their religion, language, education and occupation, and to participate in social and political activities. They also have access to the high level of medical and social welfare services provided by Israel. While there is conflict and hostility between Israel and many Arab countries in the Middle East, within Israel, Arabs and Jews can coexist and prosper.
Interestingly, Israel's "Jewish" status was acquired through the mother. This means that if a person's mother is Jewish, he is considered Jewish, regardless of whether he or she professes Judaism or accepts Jewish rituals. And if a person's mother is not Jewish, then she is not considered Jewish, even if she professes Judaism or accepts Jewish rituals.
This rule stems from the Jewish tradition that mothers have a greater influence on their children and education. This also means that in some cross-border marriages, if the woman is Chinese, the child born is no longer Jewish.
In general, Israel is a country with its own achievements and difficulties. 希望以色列能够与周边国家和平共处，与世界各国友好合作，为人类的进步和幸福做出更多的贡献！