Israel Country Code (+972): Complete Guide
Complete guide to Israel country code +972. Learn how to dial Israel from abroad, understand area codes, mobile formats, and save money on international calls.
Israel Country Code (+972): Complete Guide
Quick Answer
The Israel country code is +972. A phone number starting with +972 (or 00972) is Israeli: dial +972 (011 972 from the US and Canada), then the number without its leading 0. A +972 5X number is a mobile; +972 2, 3, 4, 8 or 9 is a landline (3 is Tel Aviv, 2 is Jerusalem); +972 7X is a nationwide VoIP or business line.
This guide covers everything you need to know about calling Israel: how to dial correctly, understanding area codes, mobile carrier prefixes, Shabbat considerations, and the cheapest ways to make international calls to Israel.
How to Dial Israel from Abroad
International Dialing Format
[Exit Code] + 972 + (Area Code) + Phone NumberStep 1: Dial Your Country's Exit Code
- Most countries: 00
- From USA/Canada: 011
- From mobile phones: + (plus sign) - works worldwide
Step 2: Dial "972" (Israel Country Code)
After your exit code, always dial 972 for Israel
Step 3: Dial the Area Code & Local Number
Drop the leading '0' from the area code or mobile prefix. For example, Tel Aviv is 03 locally but 3 internationally. Mobile 050 becomes 50.
Examples: Calling Israeli Numbers
🇺🇸 Tel Aviv Landline from USA:
011 + 972 + 3 + XXX XXXXUS exit code (011) + Israel code (972) + Tel Aviv (3)
📱 Israeli Mobile from Any Phone:
+972 52 XXX XXXXDrop the 0 from 052 (Cellcom mobile)
Israel Area Codes
Israel uses single-digit area codes for landlines: 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9. The local number is typically 7 digits, making the full number 8 digits after the country code (1 digit area code + 7 digit number). When dialing domestically, prefix with 0 (e.g., 03 for Tel Aviv). Numbers starting with 07X are not regional: they are nationwide VoIP and business lines.
| Area Code | City / Region | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Jerusalem | Jerusalem District and surrounding area |
| 3 | Tel Aviv | Tel Aviv-Yafo, Gush Dan and the Central District |
| 4 | Haifa & Northern Israel | Haifa, Nazareth, Acre, Tiberias |
| 8 | Southern Israel & the Shephelah | Beer Sheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Rehovot, Eilat |
| 9 | Sharon Plain | Netanya, Herzliya, Ra'anana, Kfar Saba |
| 7X (72-79) | Nationwide (non-geographic) | VoIP and business lines, e.g. 072, 073, 076, 077; not tied to a city, 9 digits after +972 |
Mobile Numbers & Carriers in Israel
Israel Mobile Number Format
Israeli mobile numbers start with 05X domestically (drop the 0 for international calls). The total length is 10 digits domestically (0 + 2-digit prefix + 7 digits) or 9 digits after +972.
+972 5X XXX XXXX| Carrier | Mobile Prefixes | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner (formerly Orange) | 054 | Own network | One of the "Big Three" operators; dropped the Orange brand in 2016 |
| Cellcom | 052 | Own network | Also provides landline and internet |
| Pelephone | 050 | Own network (Bezeq subsidiary) | Part of the Bezeq telecoms group |
| HOT Mobile | 053 | Own network | Cable company turned mobile operator (used 057 until 2014) |
| Golan Telecom | 058 | Cellcom network | Budget carrier; disrupted the market with low prices, owned by Cellcom since 2020 |
| Rami Levy Telecom | 055 | MVNO | Supermarket chain's budget mobile brand (055 is shared by several virtual operators) |
Israel's mobile market was revolutionized in 2012, when new operators Golan Telecom and HOT Mobile launched alongside a wave of virtual operators (MVNOs). Golan's ultra-cheap plans forced the Big Three to cut prices dramatically. Today Israeli mobile plans are among the cheapest in the developed world. Number portability means a 054 number might now be on Cellcom, not Partner -- the prefix no longer guarantees the current carrier.
Special Numbers in Israel
| Number | Service | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Police (Mishtara) | Israel Police emergency line |
| 101 | Magen David Adom (Ambulance) | Israel's national EMS, equivalent to 911 for medical |
| 102 | Fire Brigade (Mechabei Esh) | Fire and rescue services |
| 112 | Emergency (GSM Standard) | Reaches emergency services from mobiles; 100, 101 and 102 are the primary numbers |
| 1-800 | Toll-Free Numbers | Free within Israel; usually not reachable from abroad |
| 1-900 | Premium-Rate Numbers | Pay-per-minute information services |
| *-prefixed | Short Numbers (e.g. *2700, *6050) | Carrier service codes; domestic only |
Best Times to Call Israel
Israel is on Israel Standard Time (IST, UTC+2) in winter and Israel Daylight Time (IDT, UTC+3) in summer. Since a 2013 law, summer time starts on the Friday before the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October, so it no longer follows the Hebrew calendar.
From USA (Eastern Time)
Israel is 7 hours ahead of ET for most of the year, but only 6 hours ahead for a few weeks in March and from late October to early November, when US and Israeli clock changes fall on different dates.
Best window: 8 AM - 11 AM ET = 3 PM - 6 PM in Israel
From UK (GMT/BST)
Israel is 2 hours ahead of the UK almost all year (3 hours for the two days in late March between Israel's Friday clock change and the UK's on Sunday).
Best window: 8 AM - 6 PM UK time = 10 AM - 8 PM in Israel
Shabbat Hours -- When Calls May Go Unanswered
Many observant Jews in Israel do not use phones during Shabbat, which runs from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall (approximately Friday 4-7 PM to Saturday 5-8 PM, depending on the season). Businesses are closed during Shabbat. If your call goes unanswered on a Friday evening or Saturday, try again on Sunday (the first business day of the Israeli work week).
Israeli business hours: Sunday-Thursday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Friday is a half-day (until early afternoon). Saturday is the day of rest. The Israeli work week runs Sunday through Thursday.
Troubleshooting: Common Issues When Calling Israel
1. Forgetting to drop the leading "0"
Within Israel, all numbers are dialed with a leading 0: 03 for Tel Aviv, 052 for Cellcom mobile, etc. When calling from abroad with +972, you must drop this 0. Dial +972 3 XXX XXXX for Tel Aviv, not +972 03 XXX XXXX. For mobiles, dial +972 52 XXX XXXX, not +972 052 XXX XXXX. Including the extra 0 will cause the call to fail.
2. Calling during Shabbat or Jewish holidays
Many Israelis -- and virtually all businesses -- are unreachable during Shabbat (Friday evening to Saturday night). Major Jewish holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, Sukkot) also effectively shut down the country. On Yom Kippur in particular, almost the entire country is offline. If your calls go unanswered, check whether it's Shabbat or a holiday, and try again on Sunday.
3. Palestinian Territories use +970, not +972
The Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza) have their own country code: +970. While some numbers in the West Bank also work with +972 (particularly Jerusalem area code 02), if you're trying to reach someone in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, or Gaza, you may need to use +970 instead. Palestinian mobile operators (Jawwal and Ooredoo Palestine) use +970 5X prefixes.
4. Variable number lengths
Israeli numbers come in two lengths. Landlines are 7 digits after the 1-digit area code, so 8 digits after +972 (e.g., +972 3 XXX XXXX). Mobiles and 07X VoIP numbers are 7 digits after a 2-digit prefix, so 9 digits after +972 (e.g., +972 52 XXX XXXX). If a number has fewer digits than that, it is probably missing a digit or is a domestic-only short number such as a *-code.
5. Israeli toll-free (1-800) and short numbers don't work abroad
Israeli toll-free numbers (1-800-XXX-XXX) and star-prefixed short numbers (*2700, *6050, etc.) cannot be dialed from outside Israel. If a company only provides a 1-800 or *-number, look for their regular landline on their website. Government services and banks often list an international number starting with +972 3 or +972 2 for overseas callers.
Country Information
Cheapest Ways to Call Israel
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⚠️ Warning: Pay-as-you-go international rates on a regular phone plan can be far higher than a calling service's. Check your carrier's per-minute price to Israel (or its international add-on) before a long call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Israel country code?
The Israel country code is +972. You must dial this code before any Israel phone number when calling from abroad.
How do I call Israel from my mobile phone?
From any mobile phone worldwide, dial: +972 (area code or mobile prefix without 0) (phone number). For example, to call a Tel Aviv landline: +972 3 XXX XXXX. To call an Israeli mobile: +972 5X XXX XXXX.
What's the cheapest way to call Israel?
If the person has WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal, an app-to-app call is free. To dial a real Israeli number, Google Voice has the lowest per-minute rate ($0.03/min to landlines, $0.10/min to mobiles) but needs a Google account with a US number. BubblyPhone works in any browser with no app, Google account or US number: $0.088/min to landlines and $0.258/min to mobiles, billed per started minute.
What time zone is Israel in?
Israel uses Israel Standard Time (IST, UTC+2) in winter and Israel Daylight Time (IDT, UTC+3) in summer, from the Friday before the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
Is +972 Israel or Palestine?
+972 is Israel. The Palestinian Territories have their own country code: +970. However, in practice some areas (particularly East Jerusalem) can be reached via either +972 or +970. If you're calling the West Bank or Gaza, try +970 first. For calls within Israel proper, always use +972.
What time is Shabbat in Israel?
Shabbat begins at sunset on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday (approximately 40-60 minutes after sunset). The exact times change weekly based on the season. In winter, Shabbat might start as early as 4:00 PM; in summer, as late as 7:30 PM. During Shabbat, many Israelis do not answer phones, and all businesses except some restaurants and gas stations are closed. The Israeli work week runs Sunday through Thursday.
Can I call Israel with WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp is extremely popular in Israel -- it's the most-used messaging app in the country. You can make free voice and video calls to Israeli contacts who have WhatsApp. However, WhatsApp only works app-to-app. To call Israeli landlines, businesses, government offices, or anyone without WhatsApp, use a service like BubblyPhone that dials real phone numbers.
Why does Israel have different exit codes (00, 012, 013, 014)?
When making international calls FROM Israel, you can dial 00 (standard), or use a carrier-specific prefix: 012 (012 Smile, part of Partner), 013 (013 NetVision, part of Cellcom), 014 (Bezeq International). Other carriers have their own codes, such as 015, 018 and 019. Each carrier has different rates for international calls. From mobile phones, using + works with any carrier. This only matters when calling OUT of Israel, not when calling INTO Israel from abroad.
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