Israel is the geographic and historic centre of the world's three great monotheistic religions, and stands at the crossroads of three continents. This introductory text on the geography of Israel emphasizes the existence of Arab and Palestinian landscapes as well as the Jewish settlement patterns.

Israel, equally Palestine and the Holy Land, is the geographic and historic centre of the world's three great monotheistic religions - Christianity, Judaism and Islam. And its location at the crossroads of three continents - Asia, Africa and Europe - presents elements of particular interest to students more familiar with culturally homogenous and politically stable societies. As a new state formed during the present century and engaged in conflict over territory and resources with its neighbours, Israel is an excellent example for studying the dynamics of landscape change and settlement patterns. Providing an introductory text on the geography of Israel, this book emphasizes the existence of Arab and Palestinian landscapes in addition to the Jewish settlement patterns. It addresses topics such as matters of social and cultural differentiation, meanings of place and territory, local government, environmental issues, the geography of gender, welfare patterns, and the geography of conflict and peace.

The physical environment
historical geography
population dynamics
settlement patterns
Jerusalem - the changing geography of a holy city
social geography and welfare patterns
economic geography
political geography - local government and administration, Israel or Palestine - whose land?
caring for the environment
the regional and global setting.