Time Zone History

Israel time zone history

On standard time, clocks at Jerusalem run 21 minutes behind local mean solar time, the second-largest gap of the 11 zones on UTC+2 standard time whose clocks run behind the sun. Under the current rules, summer time lasts 219 days in 2027, the longest of the 16 zones on UTC+2 standard time with summer time.

UTC+2

Standard time is UTC+2 (IDT/IST); clocks go forward to UTC+3 on the last Friday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.

tz database name Asia/Jerusalem

Convert a time from Israel

Summer time in 46 of 57 years since 1970

UTC+2: today’s standard timeUTC+2:20:40, UTC+2:20:54: ahead of today’s standard timeUTC+3: 1 hour ahead of today’s standard timeUTC+4: 2 hours ahead of today’s standard timeUTC+2: today’s standard timeUTC+2:20:40, UTC+2:20:54: ahead oftoday’s standard timeUTC+3: 1 hour ahead of today’sstandard timeUTC+4: 2 hours ahead of today’sstandard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

187018901910193019501970187019101950
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
January 1, 1880Local mean time (UTC+2:20:54) replacedUTC+2:20:40JMT
January 1, 1918Standard time back 21 minutesUTC+2IST

Daylight saving periods

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
Before 1970
1940June 1, November 17October 11 hour, IST to IDT
1942not that yearNovember 11 hour
1943–19441 April, 02:001 November, 03:001 hour, IST to IDT
1945–194616 April, 02:001 November, 03:001 hour, IST to IDT
1948May 23September 1, November 12 hours, IST to IDDT
1949May 1November 11 hour, IST to IDT
1950April 16September 151 hour, IST to IDT
1951April 1November 111 hour, IST to IDT
1952April 20October 191 hour, IST to IDT
1953April 12September 131 hour, IST to IDT
1954–1955second Sunday in June, 02:00second Sunday in September, 03:001 hour, IST to IDT
1956June 3September 301 hour, IST to IDT
1957April 28September 221 hour, IST to IDT
Since 1970
1974July 7October 131 hour, IST to IDT
1975April 20August 311 hour, IST to IDT
1980August 3September 141 hour, IST to IDT
1984May 6August 261 hour, IST to IDT
1985April 14September 11 hour, IST to IDT
1986May 18September 71 hour, IST to IDT
1987April 15September 131 hour, IST to IDT
1988April 10September 41 hour, IST to IDT
1989April 30September 31 hour, IST to IDT
1990March 25August 261 hour, IST to IDT
1991March 24September 11 hour, IST to IDT
1992March 29September 61 hour, IST to IDT
1993April 2September 51 hour, IST to IDT
1994April 1August 281 hour, IST to IDT
1995March 31September 31 hour, IST to IDT
1996March 15September 161 hour, IST to IDT
1997March 21September 141 hour, IST to IDT
1998March 20September 61 hour, IST to IDT
1999April 2September 31 hour, IST to IDT
2000April 14October 61 hour, IST to IDT
2001April 9September 241 hour, IST to IDT
2002March 29October 71 hour, IST to IDT
2003March 28October 31 hour, IST to IDT
2004April 7September 221 hour, IST to IDT
2005April 1October 91 hour, IST to IDT
2006March 31October 11 hour, IST to IDT
2007March 30September 161 hour, IST to IDT
2008March 28October 51 hour, IST to IDT
2009March 27September 271 hour, IST to IDT
2010March 26September 121 hour, IST to IDT
2011April 1October 21 hour, IST to IDT
2012March 30September 231 hour, IST to IDT
2013–2016last Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT
2017–2018fourth Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT
2019–2022last Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT
2023March 24October 291 hour, IST to IDT
2024–2027last Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT
2028–2029fourth Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT
2030–2033last Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT
2034–2037fourth Friday in March, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, IST to IDT

Clock changes in 2026, 2027 and 2028

The clocks go forward 1 hour (IST to IDT) on March 27, 2026, March 26, 2027 and March 24, 2028 at 02:00 and back 1 hour (IDT to IST) on October 25, 2026, October 31, 2027 and October 29, 2028 at 02:00, local time.

Also on UTC+2

Hebron (Palestine), Gaza (Palestine), Lebanon, Famagusta (Cyprus), Nicosia (Cyprus), Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova (nearest first; 12 more on the list of offsets).

Clocks next door since 1970

  • Hebron (Palestine) (30 km): same time except 552 days in 1996–2026.
  • Jordan (70 km): same time except 2,810 days in 1973–1978, 1980 and 1984–2026; 1 hour ahead today.
  • Gaza (Palestine) (78 km): same time except 587 days in 1996–2026.
  • Syria (216 km): same time except 3,256 days in 1970–1978, 1980 and 1983–2026; 1 hour ahead today.
  • Lebanon (235 km): same time except 2,205 days in 1972–1978, 1980 and 1984–2026.

How it compares

Standard time has stayed at UTC+2 since 1918.