Israel, in the southwestern corner of Asia and the southeast shore of the Mediterranean sea, has a population of over 9 million and a total area of just over 20,000 square kilometers (slightly more than 8000 square miles), ranks 150th among nations in geographical size and 99th in population size. Its population is 80% Jewish and 20% Muslim.
Its seat of government and proclaimed eternal capital is Jerusalem, a claim which gained the recognition of the United States in 2017, although most other countries still do not.
In August 2020, the United Arab Emirates joined Egypt and Jordan in making a formal peace pact with Israel, with additional nations expected to pursue normalization in the coming years. For the Jewish people, returning in millions to their ancestral homeland, strife and struggle is part of their history and part of their neighborhood, wherever they live.
Kol olam kulo, gesher tzar me’od.