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- （亦作children of Israel）the Hebrew nation or people. According to tradition they are descended from the patriarch Jacob (also named Israel), whose twelve sons became founders of the twelve tribes.犹太民族; 犹太人; 希伯来民族; 希伯来人（传说是雅各又名以色列的子孙, 雅各的十二个儿子是其十二支部落的祖先）。
词源
from Hebrew Yiśrā'ēl 'he that strives with God' （see Gen. 32:28）.
- a country in the Middle East, on the Mediterranean Sea; pop. 7,233,700 (est. 2009); languages, Hebrew (official), English, Arabic; capital (not recognized as such by the United Nations), Jerusalem.以色列（濒临地中海的中东国家; 2009年估计人口7,233,700; 语言英语, 阿拉伯语, 官方语言为希伯来语; 首都耶路撒冷［尚未被联合国承认］）。
The modern state of Israel was established as a Jewish homeland in 1948, on land that was at that time part of the British mandated territory of Palestine. Israel was immediately attacked by the surrounding Arab states, which it defeated. The continuing conflict with the neighbouring Arabs, mainly over the rights of the Palestinians displaced from their homes or living under Israeli rule, has caused continual tension and intermittent terrorist and military activity. Further wars occurred in 1956, 1967, and 1973, which resulted in Israeli occupation of eastern Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights. In 1993 Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed an agreement for limited Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but this proved unsuccessful in bringing about an end to conflict. See also PALESTINE.