Embassy/Consulate Addresses | Foreign Relations | Travel Advisories | Travel Tips | Customs/Duties



EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in U.S.
Ambassador: Michael Oren
Embassy: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington DC, 20008
Telephone: 202-364-5500
FAX: 202-364-3607

Consulates General are in:
Los Angeles
6380 Wilshire Bl., Suite 1700,
Los Angeles, CA 90048.
PH: (213) 852-5500

San Francisco
456 Montgomery St., Suite 2100,
San Francisco, CA 94104.
PH: ( 415)-844-7500
Fax: ( 415)-844-7555

Miami
100 N. Biscayne Bl., Suite 1800,
Miami, FL 33132.
PH: (305) 358-8111

Atlanta
1100 Spring St., NW, Suite 440,
Atlanta, GA 30309
PH: (404) 875-7851

Chicago
111 E. Wacker Dr., 13th Floor,
Chicago, IL 60601.
PH: (312) 565-3300

Boston
Statler Office Bldg., 20 Park Pz., Suite 1020,
Boston, MA 02116.
PH: (617) 542-0041

New York
800 2nd Av., 13,14,15 Floor,
New York, NY 10017.
PH: (212) 499-5400

Philadelphia
230 S. 15th St., 8th Floor,
Philadelphia, PA 19102.
PH: (215) 546-5556

Houston
Weslayan Tower, 24 Greenway Pz., Suite 1500,
Houston, TX 77046.
PH:(713) 627-3780
Fax (713) 627-0149

US Diplomatic Representation:
Ambassador: James Cunningham
Embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv, Israel
Mailing Address: PSC 98, Unit 7228, APO AE 09830
Telephone: [972] (3) 519-7575
Fax: 517-3227
Consulate General in: Jerusalem

Embassy and Consulate Web Sites for Israel
U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel
Embassy of Israel - Washington, D.C.
Consulate General of Israel - Boston, MA
Consulate General of Israel - San Francisco, CA
Permanent Mission of Israel to the UN - New York, NY


FOREIGN RELATIONS

In addition to seeking an end to hostilities with Arab forces, against which it has fought five wars since 1948, Israel has given high priority to gaining wide acceptance as a sovereign state with an important international role.

Before 1967, Israel had established diplomatic relations with a majority of the world's nations, except for the Arab states and most other Muslim countries. UN Security Council resolutions provided the basis for cease-fire and disengagement agreements concerning the Sinai and the Golan Heights between Israel, Egypt, and Syria and for promoting the Camp David accords and the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. The Soviet Union and the communist states of Eastern Europe (except Romania) broke diplomatic relations with Israel during the 1967 war, but those relations were restored by 1991.

The landmark October 1991 Madrid conference recognized the importance of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 in resolving regional disputes, and brought together for the first time Israel, the Palestinians, and the neighboring Arab countries, launching a series of direct bilateral and multilateral negotiations. These talks were designed to finally resolve outstanding security, border, and other issues between the parties while providing a basis for mutual cooperation on issues of general concern, including the status of refugees, arms control and regional security, water and environmental concerns, and economic development.

Today, Israel has diplomatic relations with 163 states. Following the signing of the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on September 13, 1993, Israel established or renewed diplomatic relations with 36 countries. Israel has full diplomatic relations with Egypt and Jordan. In addition, on October 1, 1994, the Gulf States publicly announced their support for a review of the Arab boycott, in effect abolishing the secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel.

Israel has diplomatic relations with nine non-Arab Muslim states and with 32 of the 43 Sub-Saharan states that are not members of the Arab League. Israel established relations with China and India in 1992 and with the Holy See in 1993.

DEFENSE
Israel's ground, air, and naval forces, known as the Israel Defense Force (IDF), fall under the command of a single general staff. Conscription is universal for Jewish men and women over the age of 18, although exemptions may be made on religious grounds. Druze, members of a small Islamic offshoot living in Israel's mountains, also serve in the IDF. Israeli Arabs, with the exception of some Bedouins, do not serve. During 1950-66, Israel spent an average of 9% of GDP on defense. Real defense expenditures increased dramatically after both the 1967 and 1973 wars. The defense budget in 2009 totaled U.S. $12 billion, representing 6.2% of GDP, and accounting for 16.3% of government expenditures. U.S. military aid to Israel in 2009 totaled U.S. $2.55 billion. This will increase to U.S. $3 billion in 2012, and will total U.S. $3.15 billion per year from 2013 to 2018.

In 1983, the United States and Israel established the Joint Political Military Group, which meets twice a year. Both the U.S. and Israel participate in joint military planning and combined exercises, and have collaborated on military research and weapons development.

U.S.-ISRAELI RELATIONS
Commitment to Israel's security and well being has been a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Middle East since Israel's founding in 1948, in which the United States played a key supporting role. Israel and the United States are bound closely by historic and cultural ties as well as by mutual interests. Continuing U.S. economic and security assistance to Israel acknowledges these ties and signals U.S. commitment. The broad issues of Arab-Israeli peace have been a major focus in the U.S.-Israeli relationship. U.S. efforts to reach a Middle East peace settlement are based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and have been based on the premise that as Israel takes calculated risks for peace the United States will help minimize those risks.

On a bilateral level, relations between the United States and Israel are continually strengthening in every field. In addition to the Joint Political-Military Group described above, there are: bilateral science and technology efforts (including the Binational Science Foundation and the Binational Agricultural Research and Development Foundation); the U.S.-Israeli Education Foundation, which sponsors educational and cultural programs; the Joint Economic Development Group, which maintains a high-level dialogue on economic issues; the Joint Counterterrorism Group, designed to enhance cooperation in fighting terrorism; and a high-level Strategic Dialogue.

Principal U.S. Officials
U.S. Embassy
Ambassador--James Cunningham
Deputy Chief of Mission--Thomas Goldberger
Political Affairs--Robert Silverman
Economic Affairs--David Burnett
Management-- Robert Davis
Consular Affairs--Andrew Parker
Public Affairs--Hillary Olsin-Windecker
Commercial Affairs--Jonathan Heimer
Science Attache--Paul Rohrlich
Defense Attache-- Col. Richard Burgess
Legal Attache-- Jeff Walker

The U.S. Embassy in Israel is located at 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv (tel. 03-519-7575).


TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Israel check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving U.S Driving Permit accepted
Currency (ILS) New Israeli Shekel
Electrical 230 Volts
Telephones Country Code 972, Tel Aviv 3, Jerusalem 2, Nazereth 6



Clothing:
Clothing needs are about the same as for the American southwest. Low-heeled, thick-soled walking shoes are best suited for most tourist sites. Dress at most religious sites should be appropriately modest. Most of Israel is quite warm and humid, except for December through March. Rainfall occurs regularly during winter months; occasionally it snows in Jerusalem and in the mountains.

Health:
Israel requires that at least one pharmacy in a neighborhood be open or on call at all times; a list is published at least weekly in the English-language Jerusalem Post. Israel and U.S. public health standards are about equal. Adequate medical and dental care is available, and tapwater is potable.


Telecommunications:
Telephone and telegraph services, domestic and international, are efficient. Rates are higher than in the U.S. Israel is seven standard time zones ahead of eastern standard time.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES


Tobacco....250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco

Liquor.....1 litre of spirits; 2 litres of wine

Perfume.....250ml of eau de cologne or perfume

Gifts......duty free allowance up to us$125

Cameras....no restrictions

Currency...no import/export of israeli currency

Agriculture items/currency...refer to consulate

Note: animals, plants and seeds and firearms may not be imported without prior permission. fresh meat may not be imported



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