The State of Israel was formed in 1948 as a Jewish state in the historic region of Palestine, and is located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel is bounded on the north by Lebanon, on the northeast by Syria, on the east by Jordan and the West Bank, and on the southwest by Egypt and Gaza. Its southernmost tip extends to the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. Israel identifies Jerusalem as the capital of its Jewish state. In fact the holy city has played a significant role in the history of all three monotheistic religions. It is difficult to separate the history of Israel from that of the Palestinians, whose struggle for independence is still unresolved. Israel’s isolated position and security concerns as a Jewish state surrounded by Arab and predominantly Muslim countries has influenced nearly every aspect of its foreign relations, demography, and economic policy throughout its history.