Thanks SC. As it happens I just returned from a quick mini trip to Israel.
As always what strikes me is the juxtaposition of normal modern Western life with 18 year olds of both sexes walking in the streets, shops and hotels in khakis toting weapons as large as they are. Also the hyper current Israeli tech saavy society against the backdrop of ancient Jerusalem. My cab driver had a talking GPS to navigate the street of old Jerusalem.
I noticed the same things when I visited Israel in 1986. No GPS then, but the Israelis had the very latest technology everywhere.