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The State of Israel is located in the southwestern part of Asia. Bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt it is one of the most prosperous state in the Middle East. The State of Israel has a large number of castles and ports which bear witness to the history of the country. Israel benefits from the presence of major historical sites relating to different religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Therefore a large percent of the travelers consist of pilgrims. The history of Israel dates back to the Hebrew Bible. According to the first chapter of the Bible, Jacob (one of the patriarchs of the country mentioned in Old Testament) was rechristened Israel after wrestling with an angel of God. Therefore after attaining Independent Status the country was named the State of Israel in 1948. The History of Israel can be traced back to the days of the Old Testament in the Holy Bible. The state was called the ‘Promised Land’ which was meant to be for the Jews, the predecessors of Jacob. The country of Israel holds a number of connotations for the Christian and Islamic religions. It is here that Jesus Christ was born, and it is also the land where Mohammed, the Muslim Prophet, ascended to heaven. Israel denotes the amalgam of three continents – Europe, Africa and Asia. Therefore the culture of Israel is a skein of all the cultures, customs and traditions from across the three continents. On the junction of commerce routes, the land also witnessed a wave of armies - the Canaanites, Hebrews, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders Ottoman Turks and the British. Most of the fortifications, castles and royal palaces were built by these visitors who reined the country of Israel from time to time. During the rise of various regimes in the country, the Jews migrated to other parts of the world. During the British regime in Israel, the Jews were subjected to great atrocities. The Second World War saw the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler massacre 6 million Jews in Europe. Following the growing atrocities across the world, the Jewish Community in Israel re-established sovereignty and Israel was announced as a separate state for the Jews. Following this declaration, the Arab countries of Egypt, Syria, Transjordan, Lebanon and Iraq declared war against the State of Israel. This marked the beginning of the War of Independence. Through the years, Israel has been embroiled in conflict the country is widely visited by Christians and Muslim pilgrims from across the globe. And the close association of the country with these religions helps in promoting the Tourism Industry in Israel.
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