I Have A Stupid Question So Please Bear With Me

[Lisa]

I've always been curious as to why Israel is always referred to as a state rather than a country.  Why is that?  Why is no other country described as a state? 

[HiWarp]

I've always been curious as to why Israel is always referred to as a state rather than a country.  Why is that?  Why is no other country described as a state?

Actually "state" is synonymous with "country". There's really no difference between the two. As to why no other country is regularly referred to as "the state of...", beats me.

[CorrieDeservedIt]

I have a better question
Why is it that the only state or country who's existence is under questioning, is the ONLY jewish country in existence?
That's a more frightening question..

[Mein Koran]

I have a better question
Why is it that the only state or country who's existence is under questioning, is the ONLY jewish country in existence?
That's a more frightening question..

There was once an Arab named Mohammad.....

[Binyamin Yisrael]

I've always been curious as to why Israel is always referred to as a state rather than a country.  Why is that?  Why is no other country described as a state?

Only Americans don't know that in most places, the state is the same as a country. The State is the government but the Land is the country. So saying Eretz Yisrael (The Land of Israel) is like calling it a country. When talking about Israel since 1948, we say the State to diffentiate it from the British Mandate and the other occupiers that preceded it.

In the United States, there are 50 states in a federal union. Israel is one state with 6 districts (7 if you include Judea and Samaria as a district. It's more like a territory, compared to American states before statehood.). Each district is like a county in an American state. Israel does not have a federal government like the United States or countries with a similar system of government such as Mexico which also has states or Australia which has states (But they have the Queen rather than a federal President.). Canada is also similar but it has provinces which are more powerful than American states. Canada can be compared to a Confederation rather than a Federation.

[Israel Chai]

With almost no exception, every modern country is a state. A state is when the government has the monopoly over the legitimate use of force in a territory, so city-states are like Athens, but a country-state, which might be the technical term, is when a government that people support rules over a country. America is a state.

[muman613]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State

Political science [edit]

* State (polity), an organized political community, living under a government

* Sovereign state, a sovereign political entity in public international law

* "State", in some contexts virtually synonymous with "government", e.g., to distinguish state (government) from private schools

* Nation state, a state which coincides with a nation

* Federated state, a political entity forming part of a federal sovereign state such as the USA, Australia, India, and Brazil

* Member state, a member of an international organization

[Binyamin Yisrael]

* State (polity), an organized political community, living under a government

In Israel, the Government means the current PM and his ministers. The State is the whole institution including the 3 brances of seperation of powers (Knesset, PM and the Executive branch of ministers which is called the Government, and the courts which act like dicators in Israel.). In prosections, the Attorney General represents the State. Attorney General is not a cabinet position in Israel.

[JTFenthusiast2]

There was once an Arab named Mohammad.....

I think this is one of the funniest names that I have ever seen

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

What HiWarp said.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

United "States" of America?

[Binyamin Yisrael]

As to why no other country is regularly referred to as "the state of...", beats me.

The official name of Israel is the State of Israel. Maybe others aren't called states more often because they use names like "the Republic of ____" or the "____ Republic".

[Israel Chai]

The official name of Israel is the State of Israel. Maybe others aren't called states more often because they use names like "the Republic of ____" or the "____ Republic".

The city state of Athens was a republic, but was only a city state. America is a republic and a state.

[HiWarp]

The city state of Athens was a republic, but was only a city state. America is a republic and a state.

The city state of Athens was a democracy, not a republic. The citizens did not elect representatives, they actually participated in their governance.

[Israel Chai]

The city state of Athens was a democracy, not a republic. The citizens did not elect representatives, they actually participated in their governance.

That's direct vs. representative democracy. Athens was a republic.

[syyuge]

Oh! Now I get it. Apart from the main state of Israel, its other states are hidden between Nile, Euphrates, Hittites and Aden and G_d willing they may be visible on any (good) day.

[Israel Chai]

Oh! Now I get it. Apart from the main state of Israel, its other states are hidden between Nile, Euphrates, Hittites and Aden and G_d willing they may be visible on any (good) day.

Not completely sure I follow.

[syyuge]

Oh! Now I get it. Apart from the main state of Israel, its other states are hidden between Nile, Euphrates, Hittites and Aden and G_d willing they may be visible on any (good) day.

Not completely sure I follow.

I think I am talking about the Greater Israel.

[Israel Chai]

I think I am talking about the Greater Israel.

That is what I thought. May we see the United States of Israel in our lifetime.

[Binyamin Yisrael]

That is what I thought. May we see the United States of Israel in our lifetime.

We will have The United Kingdom of Israel including the 12 tribal portions under King Mashiach like under King Solomon. There will not be a federal system like the US.

[Israel Chai]

We will have The United Kingdom of Israel including the 12 tribal portions under King Mashiach like under King Solomon. There will not be a federal system like the US.

Federalism isn't really against the bible. By all accounts, it'll be a federative monarchy, with different levels of power cooperating.

[Binyamin Yisrael]

Federalism isn't really against the bible. By all accounts, it'll be a federative monarchy, with different levels of power cooperating.

The United States system is actually based on Biblical Israel because the Founding Fathers were Righteous Gentiles.

[Israel Chai]

The United States system is actually based on Biblical Israel because the Founding Fathers were Righteous Gentiles.

The concept itself I believe came from the native Americans, who organized their government with cooperating tribes having jurisdiction over their own territories, and some "federal" powers given to the union.

[HiWarp]

That's direct vs. representative democracy. Athens was a republic.

Since the citizens of Athens did not vote for representatives that they sent to the assembly, which is typically what is defined as a republican form of government, but were directly involved in the affairs of the city-state, I don't know what you mean when you call it a republic.

[Israel Chai]

Since the citizens of Athens did not vote for representatives that they sent to the assembly, which is typically what is defined as a republican form of government, but were directly involved in the affairs of the city-state, I don't know what you mean when you call it a republic.

Republic means there is no absolute monarch, but if people don't vote for their rulers, then it wouldn't be a republic, so then Athens wouldn't be. Thanks for the historical brush-up. Them being directly involved in legislation has no bearing on this, however.