The new Country Code top-level domain (ccTLD) .ישראל is launching! On November 22, 2022, the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) started offering the public the option to register Hebrew domain names under a new national TLD – .ישראל. From now on, Israelis have two available TLDs: ישראל. and .il.
Notably, the ability to register a .ישראל domain does not guarantee that every web app and online service will support it. While we are doing our best to expand the support for the new TLD in various apps and platforms, the process will take time, given the multitude of browsers, messaging apps, online services, and email apps. Generally, the latest versions of popular browsers are likely to support Hebrew domains.
Following are answers to common questions about registering .ישראל domains and the ecosystem’s support in the new TLD.
If you haven’t found an answer, don’t hesitate to contact us via email: [email protected].
FAQ
alphabet characters:
- Hebrew alphabet characters – the letters “א “to “ת ,“
to corresponding” (ץ” ,“ן” ,“ף” ,“ך” ,“ם” :letters final including Unicode Code-Points U+05D0 to U+05EA). - Digits – the digits “0” to “9” (corresponding to Unicode Code-Points U+0030 to U+0039).
- Hyphen – the character “-” (corresponding to Unicode Code-Point U+002D).
The allocated SLDs are: אקדמיה.ישראל, .ממשל.ישראל, .צהל.ישראל, .ישוב.ישראל.
For more information, see the registration rules.
- May not begin or end with a hyphen.
- May not contain two consecutive hyphens (“–“) – except for Domain Names in the standard A-Label form for Hebrew Domain Names.
- Must comply with the technical requirements of the DNS that are in effect at the time the Application is submitted.
- May not begin with a digit.
- May not be identical or confusingly similar to the top level domain “ישראל” and to the 2nd level Domain Names: “אקדמיה” ;“ישוב” ;“ממשל” ;“צהל ,“or any 2nd level Domain Name that ISOC-IL will add in the future.
- Middle and final letter are synonymous for the purpose of ,“ן“=“נ” ,“ם“=“מ” ,“ך“=“כ”) Name Domain a registering “פ“=“ף” ,“צ“=“ץ . ISOC-IL will not allocate a Domain Name where an identical Domain Name was already allocated, where the only difference between both Domain Names is middle and final letters (for example: if the Domain Name “ישראל.דומיין “was allocated, the Domain Names “דומיינ.ישראל” or” דוםיינ.ישראל” or” דוםיין.ישראל” cannot be used or allocated.
- Domain Names may not contain obscene words and Names incorporating foul language; Names that are injurious to public order or to public sensibilities, or Names that otherwise infringe the laws of the State of Israel (See: “Offensive Domain Names”).
- Memorable – you can display your website’s Hebrew URL on billboards, posters, business cards, or even on television, and it will be easy for Hebrew speakers to remember.
- Strong branding – the word ישראל (“Israel”) has solid branding among Israelis.
- Variations – the new TLD offers a wide variety of possibilities; numerous Hebrew words and combinations are available for registration as URLs and business names.
- Local association – since ישראל. is a ccTLD, search engines will learn it, and it’s likely that in the future, they will associate websites with Hebrew domains with Israel’s geographical location.
For more information on the benefits of registering a Hebrew domain click here.
Hebrew domains have several advantages: Increasing affiliation with the local Israeli business community and the Israeli affinity of the service or business, along with the option to easily advertise the domain in Hebrew among populations less fluent in English.
For more information on the benefits of registering a Hebrew domain click here.
For a more in-depth and conclusive answer, please get in touch with the specific service provider (social media platform, app developer) to find out if they support IDN.
For more information about compatibility, see IDN – What does it have to do with us?. or https://idnworldreport.eu/blog/2021–11–29-oxil-uasg-icann/index.html.
For more information about compatibility, see IDN – What does it have to do with us?.
- www – is an optional addition that the website administrator can define as a subdomain.
- http:// – in case there is no SSL certificate.
- https:// – in case the website administrator obtained an SSL certificate.
- For more information about compatibility, see IDN – What does it have to do with us?.
- See UASG’s relevant findings (slide 23).
When a domain has “server hold” status, the domain is not published on the worldwide DNS servers. After the association verifies the details, the domain is “activated” and directs to the servers.
During the first days after the opening of the new ccTLD, there is significant overload, and because every registration is examined, directing the domain to the servers may take several days.
For data on the worldwide distribution of IDN, visit https://idnworldreport.eu/maps/world-maps/.
Your right has expired, and the domain name became available to the public, following ISOC-IL’s “first come, first served” registration policy. If someone has already registered a domain name that you believe violates your legal rights, you can contact ISOC-IL Dispute Resolution Procedure (IL-DRP) or the courts.
Glossary
A Code-Point is referenced by a “U+” prefix, followed by a fourhexadecimal-digits number. For example, the code of the Hebrew letter Aleph (“א”) is U+05D0.
Read more: https://www.unicode.org/