Israel has two kinds of visas:
1. Immigration (aliya) visas
2. Visitor (travel) visas
Immigration visas are handled by the Jewish agency, who will recommend the local mission (embassy) to issue an immigrants visa. The local embassy will act according to the Jewish agency’s recommendation.
Visitor visas
Israel has agreements for the abolition of visa requirements with 65 countries. Citizens of those countries may enter Israel with only a valid passport (no need for specific visa). For the full list of countries which do not reqiure Israeli visa, see bottom of this page.
Nationals of countries without such agreements who wish to visit Israel must submit to the nearest Israeli mission a completed visa application form as well as photograph and his/hers travel document. Information about the need for a visa can be found at your local Israeli mission.
(Information source: Israel Ministry of foreign affairs website)
Countries that have visa abolition agreements are:
Africa: Central African Republic, Losoto, Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa, Swaziland
Asia & Oceania: Australia, Fiji Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany (date of birth after 1.1.28), Gibraltar,Great Britain (England, the UK), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands (Holland), Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
The Americas: Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, St. Kitts & Nevis, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago, The Bahamas, The Dominican Republic, Uruguay, U.S.A.