Israel's industrial geography is unique. The country's geopolitical position has demanded that it constantly defend its borders--borders that are themselves still undefined. Taking advantage of high-technology developments in order to compensate for a lack of natural resources, industry has been encouraged by government incentives to locate in peripheral and developing areas. A policy of dispersing both people and industry has been one of the cornerstones of government security and defense efforts.

By presenting a comprehensive overview of the industrial spatial development of Israel from the Ottoman era to the present day, the authors analyze the effect of government policy on corporate geography, high-technology industries, entrepreneurship, and rural industrial development. The spatial development of Israeli industry is set within the broader context of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Middle East as a whole.