Theocratic republic of Israel was created in 1948. Most of the population is human, with small pockets of desert halflings, desert elves, and gnomish communities. The chief issue currently facing Israel is semi-internal, as it deals with a Palestinian state partially controlled by the Baalian Templar group known as Hamas.
Theocratic republic of Israel was created in 1948. Most of the population is human, with small pockets of desert halflings, desert elves, and gnomish communities. The chief issue currently facing Israel is semi-internal, as it deals with a Palestinian state partially controlled by the Baalian Templar group known as Hamas.
Theocratic republic of Israel was created in 1948. Most of the population is human, with small pockets of desert halflings, desert elves, and gnomish communities. The chief issue currently facing Israel is semi-internal, as it deals with a Palestinian state partially controlled by the Baalian Templar group known as Hamas.
Theocratic Republic of Israel tions have soldiers in Iraq, though, there is sufficient deterrent to keep the major play- Capital: Jerusalem ers of the region away from conflict with Official Languages: Hebrew, Arabic Israel. Lesser players like Lebanon and Government: Theocratic Republic Syria, as well as militaristic groups among High Priest—Shimon Peres the Arab general populace, remain the chief concerns to Israeli security. Temple Magistrate—Ehud Olmert Independence: Due to UK-administered Short Term Issues: The chief issue cur- League of Nations mandate, 14 May 1948. rently facing Israel is semi-internal, as it Population: (2007 estimate) 715,000 (most deals with a Palestinian state partially con- of the population is human, with small trolled by the Baalian Templar group pockets of desert halflings, desert elves, and known as Hamas. Currently, control of Pal- gnomish communities) estine is held by Hamas (in the Gaza Strip) and Fatah (in the West Bank); however, the Long Term Issues: The Jewish religion— two groups are desperately seeking to con- Taiism—recognizes several neighboring trol the entire nation outright. Israel has the states as enemies of the faith (Lebanon, power to interfere in this issue to a great Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Yemen), and extent, and would prefer to destabilize Israel has been on bad terms with the Arab Hamas and promote Fatah; however, keep- (Baalian) nations in general since the mod- ing both parties from gaining any edge may ern nation was created in 1948. It is hard to also be an excellent objective, in that it dis- imagine a moderate Temple Magistrate tracts the Palestinian state from focusing on (who holds the true administrative power) Israel, and it discredits the legitimacy of the in Israel, and indeed none have ever really Palestinian state within the international come to power. DEFSTRAT recognizes community. the difficulty that a religion-based regime Baalian Templar groups continue to has in making changes that are not only po- threaten the border with Lebanon litical, but also theological, in nature, and so (especially along the Golan Heights), Jeru- we hold little hope of the tension involving salem and the West Bank, and the border Israel to decrease in the short to medium towns near the Gaza Strip. Contingent sui- term. ciders still plague the Jewish populace, de- Militarily, Taiist magitechnology benefits spite efforts by Israeli Temple Knights from rich patrons of the faith (also Jewish) (including The Mossad). based in the eastern USA. This had led to Syrian ruler, Amir Bashar al-Hassad, has Israel not only being able to defend itself recently both threatened Israel by massing well, but also take the offensive to its troops along the border with the Golan neighbors as needed. However, the increase Heights, as well as opened up new discourse in mana-based inflows into the Arabic for closer diplomatic relations. Israel is re- economies of the surrounding nations may sponding only slowly—understandable be able to reduce or even remove the edge given the theological stance that Syrians are that Israel currently holds as a minor super- enemies of the Faith. DEFSTRAT does power in the region. The chief concern over not believe that Syria will actually mount an such an event would be the response by offensive with US soldiers so close at hand. Western nations, and the USA in particu-