Israel is a Middle Eastern state bordering the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the southwest, the Palestinian territories—the West Bank to the east and the Gaza Strip to the southwest—and the Red Sea to the south.
The region in which Israel is located has been subject to the rule of numerous civilizations over time, including the Canaanites, Egyptians, Israelites, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, and Ottomans. In modern times, the region became part of the British Mandate of Palestine, a period during which it was subject to immigration from Jewish communities encouraged by the Zionist movement, which aimed to establish a modern Jewish state.
After World War II, to resolve local conflicts between Jews and Palestinian Arabs, in 1947 the United Nations General Assembly approved a partition plan for Palestine that envisioned the establishment of a Jewish and an Arab state. The State of Israel was proclaimed on May 14, 1948.
This partition, however, was opposed by Palestinian Arabs and neighboring Arab countries, who intervened militarily against the newly formed Israeli state the day after its proclamation; this conflict led to the Palestinian exodus of 1948.
Israel and Arab countries clashed again in the following decades in a series of Arab-Israeli conflicts. Following the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank, which had been occupied by the Kingdom of Jordan, the Gaza Strip, which was administered by Egypt, the Syrian Golan Heights, and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula, establishing numerous Israeli settlements in these occupied territories over the years. The State of Palestine claims sovereignty over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The territory is extremely diverse in terms of morphology: to the west, the Sharon Plain extends along the coastal strip, the Judean Mountains cross the center of the country, the Negev Desert extends to the south, while the Jordan Valley, the country's main river, is part of the Great Rift Valley. Israel is the only country in the world with a Jewish majority; Jews represent just under three-quarters of the population, while Israeli Arabs make up just over a fifth.
The majority of the population is concentrated in the urban centers of the coastal plain. Israel's culture has been shaped by the influence of various elements brought by Jewish immigrants from around the world. Israel is one of the most advanced countries in the Middle East socially, politically, scientifically, and economically. High technology plays a key role. The State of Israel is a parliamentary democracy, and a set of fundamental laws define its legal system. Legislative power is exercised by the Knesset, which elects a president, while executive power is exercised by the prime minister and the cabinet. Judicial power is exercised by secular and religious courts, with the Supreme Court of Israel at its apex.
Face value | Family number | English name | Scientific name
1963.01
13.02.1963
Birds
55a
23
Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii
70a
80
Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops
1£
70
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
1963.02
25.04.1963
Birds
5a
240
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus
20a
90
White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis
28a
227
Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens
1963.03
19.06.1963
Birds
30a
93
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
40a
203
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
45a
231
Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea
1963.04
23.10.1963
Birds
3£
78
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
1975.01
14.10.1975
Protected birds
1.10£
51
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
1.70£
43
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus
2£
42
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus
1985.01
05.02.1985
Biblical birds
s 44x29mm
100s
78
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos
200s
78
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata
300s
104
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor
500s
78
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
1985.02
05.02.1985
Biblical birds
Sheet, s 33x23mm
1985.01
100s
78
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos
200s
78
Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata
300s
104
Sooty Falcon Falco concolor
500s
78
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
1987.01
24.02.1987
Biblical birds, owls
s 37x27mm
30a
80
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl Bubo ascalaphus
40a
80
Pallid Scops Owl Otus brucei
50a
79
Western Barn Owl Tyto alba
80a
80
Desert Owl Strix hadorami
1987.02
24.02.1987
Biblical birds, owls
Sheet, s 31x23mm
1987.01
30a
80
Pharaoh Eagle-Owl Bubo ascalaphus
40a
80
Pallid Scops Owl Otus brucei
50a
79
Western Barn Owl Tyto alba
80a
80
Desert Owl Strix hadorami
1989.01
18.07.1989
Ducks
Strip, s 34x25mm
80a
8
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
80a
8
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
80a
8
Garganey Spatula querquedula
80a
8
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
1989.02
17.11.1989
WORLD STAMP EXPO '89
Sheet, s 29x23mm
1989.01
80a
8
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
80a
8
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
80a
8
Garganey Spatula querquedula
80a
8
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
1992.01
08.12.1992
Songbirds
10a
220
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
20a
224
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii
30a
238
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
90a
190
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
1993.01
16.02.1993
Songbirds
50a
231
Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea
1.50s
227
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca
1993.02
09.12.1993
Songbirds
1.30s
203
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
1.70s
189
White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos
1994.01
08.02.1994
Songbirds
85a
240
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus
1995.01
07.06.1995
Songbirds
1s
240
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus
1996.01
17.04.1996
China '96
Sheet
1992.01-1995.01
30a
220
Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria
30a
231
Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea
30a
238
White Wagtail Motacilla alba
30a
224
Tristram's Starling Onychognathus tristramii
30a
240
Sinai Rosefinch Carpodacus synoicus
30a
227
Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca
30a
189
White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos
30a
240
Trumpeter Finch Bucanetes githagineus
30a
203
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
30a
190
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
1998.01
13.05.1998
Pets
6v sheet
60a
108
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans
2000.01
03.05.2000
WWF
4v set
1.20s
227
Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens
2001.01
18.03.2001
Wild animals in Israel
4v set
1.20s
104
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
2001.02
18.03.2001
Wild animals in Israel
Booklet
2001.01
1.20s
104
Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni
2002.01
27.08.2002
Birds of the Jordan Valley
2.20s
78
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
2.20s
64
Black Stork Ciconia nigra
2.20s
32
Common Crane Grus grus
2005.01
22.02.2005
Animals in the Bible
4v set
1.30s
1
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus
2.20s
43
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus
2005.02
22.02.2005
Animals in the Bible
4v sheet
2005.01
1.30s
1
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus
2.80s
43
Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus
2007.01
20.02.2007
Development, Negev and Galilee
2.50s
23
Asian Houbara Chlamydotis macqueenii
3.30s
Not identified Not identified
2007.02
05.12.2007
Noah's ark
6v sheet
2.25s
1
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus
and
13
Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
2007.03
05.12.2007
Hula nature reserve
2.25s
32
Common Crane Grus grus
2.25s
73
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus
2.25s
70
Western Cattle Egret Ardea ibis
and
8
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris
and
199
Common Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
2007.04
05.12.2007
Hula nature reserve
Booklet, sa
2007.03
2.25s
32
Common Crane Grus grus
2.25s
73
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus
2.25s
70
Western Cattle Egret Ardea ibis
and
8
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris
and
199
Common Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
2008.01
14.05.2008
Noah's ark
Prestige booklet, sa
2007.02
2.25s
1
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus
and
13
Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus
2008.02
14.05.2008
Hula nature reserve
Prestige booklet, sa
2007.04
2.25s
32
Common Crane Grus grus
2.25s
73
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus
2.25s
70
Western Cattle Egret Ardea ibis
and
8
Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris
and
199
Common Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
2010.01
27.01.2010
Birds
2.40s
240
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
2.40s
84
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
2.40s
203
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
2010.02
27.01.2010
Lions Israel
4.60s
52
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
2012.01
20.03.2012
Diplomatic relations with China
2v set
2s
177
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
2012.02
26.06.2012
Birds of Israel
Prestige booklet
2002.01,2010.01
2.20s
64
Black Stork Ciconia nigra
2.20s
32
Common Crane Grus grus
2.20s
78
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
2.40s
240
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
2.40s
203
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
2.40s
84
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
2012.03
12.12.2012
Wildlife hospital
2x3v sheet
3s
78
Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
2013.01
02.04.2013
Vultures
3s
78
Bearded Vulture Gypaetus barbatus
3s
78
Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos
and
78
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus
3s
78
Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus
2013.02
26.08.2013
Children's songs
12v sheet
2s
227
Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
2015.01
14.04.2015
Memorial Day
2.20s
78
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
2016.01
13.09.2016
Israel - Bulgaria, bird migration
5s
64
White Stork Ciconia ciconia
2016.02
13.11.2016
Tourism in Jerusalem
2x5v sheet
2.40s
107
Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna
2016.03
13.11.2016
Tourism in Jerusalem
2x5v booklet
2016.02
2.40s
107
Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna
2016.04
13.11.2016
King Solomon's ships
5s
52
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
MS
2019.01
05.03.2019
Birds in Israel
*
93
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
*
93
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus
*
93
Arabian Green Bee-eater Merops cyanophrys
*
90
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
*
88
European Roller Coracias garrulus
2019.02
08.05.2019
Joint issue with Singapore
2.50s
231
Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja
"Singapore"
and
84
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
7.40s
84
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
"Israel"
and
231
Crimson Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja
2019.03
16.07.2019
Tourism
3v set
2.50s
32
Common Crane Grus grus
2020.01
15.12.2020
Steinhardt Museum
3v set
4.10s
13
Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus
4.10s
93
Arabian Green Bee-eater Merops cyanophrys
and
203
Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
2024.01
14.02.2024
Youth hostels in Israel
4.20s
84
Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
Philately has been considered as an "auxiliary science of history" because it is based on the general principles of other sciences, which in turn contribute to enrich it. It acquires knowledge of the sciences, of the arts, of languages and opens an immense road of social relations through all countries. This science broadens broad horizons of culture, discovers artistic temperaments and offers the interest of the new and the unknown, while performing a positive therapeutic wor.
