Random Israel Facts

DID YOU KNOW...
...that the Israeli electoral system is based on the entire country being one constituency and the elected Members of Knesset are proportional to the percentage of votes their party receives? Prior to each election, each political party in Israel submits a list of candidates. The percentage of votes that each party receives is converted to the corresponding percentage of seats in the Knesset. For example, if a party receives 10% of the vote, they will receive 12 seats in the Knesset (10% of 120).

WERE YOU AWARE...
...that only in 2000 Israel received temporary membership in a regional-group in the United Nations? All the members of the UN are part of regional groups which allow them to sit on certain UN committees, such as the Security Council. Israel is geographically part of the Asian group but the Arab countries barred her membership. In 2000 Israel joined the Western Europe and Other Group (WEOG) which is made up of countries that share a western-democratic system. By joining this group, Israel will now be allowed to sit on important UN committees.

HAVE YOU HEARD...
...that the Menorah that stands outside the Israeli Knesset was a gift donated by the British Parliament in 1956? The sculpture shows different reliefs that are representative of Jewish tradition. The central branch of the sculpture represents the main elements of Judaic faith and also contains central figures to the life of Judaism.