Not to be confused with the historic region, the Land of Israel
Israel, officially known as the State of Israel, is a state with limited recognition in Western Asia, located on the western shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The modern State of Israel has its roots in the Zionist movement whereby diaspora Jews sought to establish a physical state, with the support of the British Empire. In the spirit of National self-determination, proposals for a Jewish State have been made by socialists such as Joseph Stalin, but the British Empire's plan to settle the already-populous region of Palestine have been likened to settler colonialism, especially considering the apartheid-like conditions under which the Palestinians live.
International recognition
As of December 2020, Israel has received international recognition by 164 of the other 192 UN member states. Besides not having diplomatic relations, Israel's sovereignty is disputed by some countries.