The biodiversity of Israel and Palestine is the fauna, flora and fungi of the geographical region of Israel and of Palestine (the West Bank and the Gaza Strip). This geographical area within the historical region of Palestine extends from the Jordan River and Wadi Araba in the east, to the Mediterranean Sea and the Sinai desert in the west, to Lebanon in the north, and to the gulf of Aqaba, or Eilat in the south.
The area is part of the Palearctic realm, located in the Mediterranean Basin, whose climate supports the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. This includes the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests and the Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests ecoregions.
There are five geographical zones and the climate varies from semi-arid to temperate to subtropical. The region is home to a variety of plants and animals; at least 47,000 living species have been identified, with another 4,000 assumed to exist. At least 116 mammal species are native to Palestine/Israel, as well as 511 bird species, 97 reptile species, and 7 amphibian species. There are also an estimated 2,780 plant species.
The region of Palestine with the Gaza Strip, Israel, and the West Bank are located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, traditionally called the Levant. Israel is bounded on the north by Lebanon and on the northeast by Syria. Jordan lies to the east and southeast of the West Bank and Israel; Israel and the Gaza Strip are bordered on the southwest by the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and on the west by the Mediterranean Sea.
The region is divided into three major climate zones, and one microclimate zone:
The climate is determined by the location between the subtropical aridity of the Sahara and the Arabian deserts, and the subtropical humidity of the Levant or eastern Mediterranean. The climate conditions are highly variable within the area and modified locally by altitude, latitude, and the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.
The following is a taxonomical classification up to Phylum level of all species found in the area.
The Separation wall or "West Bank Barrier", whose construction started in 1994, has impeded native wildlife's ability to move freely, impacting their access to water and migratory patterns. This barrier has and continues to separate Palestinian farmers from their agricultural lands. This has caused overgrazing due to livestock being kept on smaller plots of land. Overgrazing leads to loss of plant biomass and plant species [1] . The construction of the wall degraded nearby habits and ecosystems leading to the decline of local species populations like gazelles. The wall has also changed the flow of water, harming amphibian populations [2] .
The creation of Israeli Settlements and supporting infrastructure have relied on the uprooting of trees and clearing of forests. Similar to the Separation wall, settlements act as barriers for wildlife. Increased urbanization, through the growth of settlements also leads to higher resource consumption and pollution, from things like wastewater discharge [3] .
89% of Israeli planted forests are made up of non-native species, primarily European evergreens. These species do not support the habitat or dietary needs of native wildlife. These evergreens have also caused acidification of soils and nearby plants. The replacing of native species with non-native European species by Israel under the guise of "Turning the Desert Green" lower the biodiversity of the region [4] .
The following are online well prepared databases about the biodiversity in the Palestine Israel area.
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