Reading Direction in Israel: Right-to-Left for Hebrew and Arabic

No, Israel does not read left-to-right. The primary languages of Israel—Hebrew and Arabic—are both written and read right-to-left (RTL).

Language Context

• Hebrew: Official language, spoken by the majority. Written RTL using the Hebrew alphabet (abjad).
• Arabic: Special status, spoken by ~20% of citizens (Arab Israelis) and Palestinians. Written RTL using Arabic script (abjad).
• English: Widely used in business, academia, signage, and tech. Written LTR. Many Israelis are bilingual/biliterate.

Practical Implications

UI/UX Design: Websites, apps, and software localized for Israel must support RTL layout—mirrored navigation, reversed text alignment, flipped icons (back arrows, progress bars).

Print & Media: Newspapers, books, magazines, official documents flow right-to-left. Page numbering, column order, and binding are reversed compared to LTR publications.

Signage: Road signs, public notices, and commercial signs typically display Hebrew/Arabic RTL, often with English LTR below or alongside.

Numbers: A notable exception—numbers are written left-to-right even in Hebrew/Arabic text (e.g., 2024, not 4202), using Hindu-Arabic numerals. This creates bidirectional text (bidi) complexity.

Historical Note

Hebrew's RTL direction derives from its Semitic ancestry (Phoenician → Aramaic → Hebrew), shared with Arabic, Syriac, and other Semitic scripts. Ancient Hebrew inscriptions (e.g., Gezer Calendar, 10th century BCE) already show RTL orientation.