Progressive List for Peace, Muhammad MI'ARI;
Arab Democratic Party, Abd Al Wahab DARAWSHAH;
Black Panthers, Charlie BITON

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

President--last held 23 February 1988 (next to be held February
1994); results--Chaim HERZOG reelected by Knesset;

Knesset--last held 1 November 1988 (next to be held by
November 1992);
seats--(120 total) Labor Party 38, Likud bloc 37, SHAS 5, National
Religious Party 5, Citizens' Rights Movement 5, Agudat Yisrael 4,
PAZI 3, MAKI 3, Tehiya Party 3, MAPAM 3, Tzomet Party 2, Moledet Party 2,
Degel HaTorah 2, Center Movement-Shinui 2, Progressive List for Peace 1,
Arab Democratic Party 1; Black Panthers 1, Moriya 1, Ge'ulat
Yisrael 1, Unity for Peace and Aliyah 1

_#_Communists: Hadash (predominantly Arab but with Jews in its
leadership) has some 1,500 members

_#_Other political or pressure groups: Gush Emunim, Jewish
nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza
Strip; Peace Now, critical of government's West Bank/Gaza Strip and
Lebanon policies

_#_Member of: AG (observer), CCC, EBRD, 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: Ambassador Zalman SHOVAL; Chancery at
3514 International Drive NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202)
364-5500; there are Israeli Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San
Francisco;

US--Ambassador William A. BROWN; Embassy at 71 Hayarkon Street,
Tel Aviv (mailing address is APO New York 09672); telephone [972] (3)
654338; there is a US Consulate General in 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

_*_Economy
_#_Overview: Israel has a market economy with substantial government
participation. It depends on imports for crude oil, food, grains, raw
materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources,
Israel has developed its agricultural and industrial sectors on an
intensive scale over the past 20 years. Industry accounts for about 23%
of the labor force, agriculture for 5%, and services for most of the
balance. Diamonds, high-technolo