The modern State of Israel is a relatively small country, about the size of Belgium and the state of New Jersey. Located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and maintains important political and economic ties to North America. Although located in the Middle East, Israel is culturally a European country with a secular democratic government and a legal system based on Anglo-American traditions. Since its foundation in 1948, the State of Israel has been blessed with massive numbers of highly skilled and motivated immigrants, including a current wave from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.

Israel leads the Middle East region in GDP, Per-Capita income, high-tech industry, technology transfer, and telecommunications. The Israeli economy is currently in a period of growth, which should only continue with the inevitable lifting of the Arab Boycott, as the Middle East Peace Process becomes a reality.