2 (party formed
after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list), Balad
2, One Nation 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, appointed for life by the president

Political parties and leaders: Balad ; Center Party
; Democratic Movement ; Gesher
; Hadash ; Labor Party ;
Likud Party ; MERETZ ; Moledet [Rehavam
ZEEVI]; National Democratic Alliance (Balad) ; National
Religious Party ; National Union
(includes Herut, Tekuma, Yisre'el Beiteinu and Moledet); One Israel
(includes Labor, Gesher, and Meimad); One Nation [Amir
PERETZ]; Shas ; Shinui ; Third Way
; Tzomet ; United Arab List [Abd
al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism ; Yisra'el
Ba'Aliya ; Yisra'el Beiteinu

Political pressure groups and leaders: Gush Emunim, Israeli
nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza
Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and
is critical of government's Lebanon policy

International organization participation: BSEC (observer), CCC, CE
(observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David IVRY
chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 364-5500
FAX: (202) 364-5610
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 Martin S. INDYK
embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv
mailing address: PSC 98, Unit 7228, APO AE 09830
telephone: (3) 519-7575
FAX: (3) 517-3227
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

@Israel:Economy

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