Aussie Andy, Israel will only allow you to fly IFR on a foreign license. For VFR, you need your license validated, which will require you to sit an exam in air law, which is only available in Hebrew
(or so I was told by the head of personnel licensing at the Israeli CAA). However, it won't hurt to write a formal letter to their CAA asking if the validation exam can be taken in English.
FYI, the entire Israeli airspace is controlled. The only crossing into Jordan is via SALAM, 31°56' N 35°31' E, FL 70 or above.