Foreign relations of Israel: Difference between revisions

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	==South Africa==		==South Africa==

	Israel developed a relationship with ] during the 1970s and 1980s. An article at the ] website claims that projects to develop nuclear weapons "were undertaken with some cooperation from Israel." <ref>{{cite web		There are controversial claims that Israel developed a relationship with ] during the 1970s and 1980s. The relationship is generally attributed due to the fact that many African countries broke diplomatic ties with Israel during the 70's following the wars between Egypt and Israel. <ref> Israel and Black Africa: A Rapprochement? Ethan A. Nadelmann. Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Jun., 1981), pp. 183-219 </ref> Therefore, Israel was forced to have relations with isolated countries. An article at the ] website claims that projects to develop nuclear weapons "were undertaken with some cooperation from Israel." <ref>{{cite web
	\|url=http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/rsa/nuke/		\|url=http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/rsa/nuke/
	\|author=Unknown author		\|author=Unknown author
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	\|publisher=]		\|publisher=]
	}}</ref>		}}</ref>
	According to David Albright of the ], "~~Faced with sanctions, South Africa began to organize clandestine procurement networks in Europe and the United States, and it began a long, secret collaboration with Israel~~.~~" although he goes on to say "A common question is whether Israel provided South Africa with weapons design assistance, although~~ available evidence argues against significant cooperation."<ref>{{cite news		According to David Albright of the ], "... available evidence argues against significant cooperation."<ref>{{cite news
	\|title=South Africa and the affordable bomb		\|title=South Africa and the affordable bomb
	\|publisher=]		\|publisher=]
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	\|url=http://www.thebulletin.org/article.php?art_ofn=ja94albright		\|url=http://www.thebulletin.org/article.php?art_ofn=ja94albright
	}}</ref>		}}</ref>
	] in ] claimed that Israeli military officers served as consultants to the South African army in ].<ref>{{cite news		] claimed that Israeli military officers served as consultants to the South African army in ].<ref>{{cite news
	\|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1704037,00.html		\|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1704037,00.html
	\|title=Brothers in arms - Israel's secret pact with Pretoria		\|title=Brothers in arms - Israel's secret pact with Pretoria
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	}}</ref>		}}</ref>

	~~Following~~ ~~sanctions~~ in ~~other~~ ~~Western~~ ~~nations,~~ on March 18, 1987 the Inner Cabinet of the Israeli government denounced the ] policy of South Africa and limited Israel's security ties with Pretoria. On September 16, 1987 the Israeli Cabinet approved a series of measures designed to limit trade, sports and cultural ties with South Africa. <ref> 1984-1988 (MFA)</ref>		Israeli ambassadors spoke publicly against ] in ]. On March 18, 1987 the Inner Cabinet of the Israeli government denounced the ] policy of South Africa and limited Israel's security ties with Pretoria. On September 16, 1987 the Israeli Cabinet approved a series of measures designed to limit trade, sports and cultural ties with South Africa. <ref> 1984-1988 (MFA)</ref>

	Former ] leader ] visited Israel in 1999. Mandela said: "To the many people who have questioned why I came, I say: Israel worked very closely with the apartheid regime. I say: I've made peace with many men who slaughtered our people like animals. Israel cooperated with the apartheid regime, but it did not participate in any atrocities". <ref>{{cite news \|url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/12309/edition_id/237/format/html/displaystory.html		Former ] leader ] visited Israel in 1999. Mandela said: "To the many people who have questioned why I came, I say: Israel worked very closely with the apartheid regime. I say: I've made peace with many men who slaughtered our people like animals. Israel cooperated with the apartheid regime, but it did not participate in any atrocities". <ref>{{cite news \|url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/12309/edition_id/237/format/html/displaystory.html

Revision as of 00:51, 22 August 2006

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High priorities in the foreign policy of Israel include seeking an end to hostilities with Arab forces, against which it has fought six wars since 1948, and gaining wide acceptance as a sovereign state with an important international role.

The State of Israel joined the United Nations on May 11, 1949. Today, Israel has diplomatic relations with 161 states.

Diplomatic relations

Ever since the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Jewish state has faced problems in its foreign policy. In 1948, Israel was in diplomatic isolation resulting from being boycotted by its Middle Eastern neighbours (see Arab League boycott). As an alternative, the government of Israel began developing ties with distant countries. The Israeli government sought to establish good relations especially with the United States government and the newly independent states in Africa and Asia.

Before 1967, the State of Israel had established diplomatic relations with a majority of the world's nations, except for the Arab states and most other Muslim countries. Following the Madrid Conference of 1991, and as a direct result of the peace process, Israel established or renewed diplomatic relations with 68 countries.

United States

Main article: Israel-United States relations

The relations between Israel and the United States have evolved from an initial United States policy of sympathy and support for the creation of a Jewish state in 1948 to an unusual partnership that links Israel with the United States trying to balance competing interests in the Middle East region.

Arab states

Main articles: Arab-Israeli conflict, Arab League and the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Projects working for peace among Israelis and Arabs

Israel has full diplomatic relations with Egypt (the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty was signed in 1979), Jordan (the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace was signed in 1994) and Mauritania and trade relations with Qatar. If a person's passport shows any evidence of travel to Israel, barring a diplomatic passport, they are forbidden entry to the Sultanate of Oman, among other Arab and Muslim states. (See also Israeli passport)

On October 1, 1994, the Gulf States publicly announced their support for a review of the Arab boycott, in effect abolishing the secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel. Israel has diplomatic relations with 9 non-Arab Muslim states and with 32 of the 43 Sub-Saharan African states that are not members of the Arab League. Israel established relations with the People's Republic of China and India in 1992. Sino-Israeli and Indo-Israeli relations have blossomed ever since. In 2000, Israel became India's second largest military equipment supplier, with military transactions signed or in the pipeline exceeding 3 billion USD.

Following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, diplomats have been discussing the possibility of improved relations between Israel and Iraq. However, then-Iraqi PM Iyad Allawi said in 2004 that Iraq would not establish ties with Israel.

In 2005, Saudi Arabia announced the end of its ban on Israeli goods and services, mostly due to its application to the World Trade Organization, where one member country cannot have a total ban on another. The Saudis have yet to offer full political recognition.

China

On January 9, 1950, the Israeli government extended recognition to the People's Republic of China, but diplomatic relations were not established until 1992.

Japan

Main article: Israel-Japan relations

On May 15, 1952, diplomatic relations were established with the government of Japan at a Legation level. However, the Japanese government refrained from appointing a Minister Plenipotentiary to Israel until 1955. Relations between the two states were distant at first, but after 1958, as demand in Japan for Israeli commodities was rising, relations between the governments were warming up. On November 22, 1973, the Japanese government stated it was reconsidering its relations with the Israeli government due to Israel's retention of lands occupied in 1967, but no break occurred.

Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc

Main articles: Soviet Union and the Arab-Israeli conflict and Russia and the Arab-Israeli conflict

While the Soviet Union and the communist states of Eastern Europe (except Romania) broke diplomatic relations with Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, those relations were restored by 1991.

South Africa

There are controversial claims that Israel developed a relationship with South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s. The relationship is generally attributed due to the fact that many African countries broke diplomatic ties with Israel during the 70's following the wars between Egypt and Israel. Therefore, Israel was forced to have relations with isolated countries. An article at the Federation of American Scientists website claims that projects to develop nuclear weapons "were undertaken with some cooperation from Israel." According to David Albright of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, "... available evidence argues against significant cooperation." Chris McGreal claimed that Israeli military officers served as consultants to the South African army in Angola.

Israeli ambassadors spoke publicly against racism in apartheid South Africa. On March 18, 1987 the Inner Cabinet of the Israeli government denounced the Apartheid policy of South Africa and limited Israel's security ties with Pretoria. On September 16, 1987 the Israeli Cabinet approved a series of measures designed to limit trade, sports and cultural ties with South Africa.

Former ANC leader Nelson Mandela visited Israel in 1999. Mandela said: "To the many people who have questioned why I came, I say: Israel worked very closely with the apartheid regime. I say: I've made peace with many men who slaughtered our people like animals. Israel cooperated with the apartheid regime, but it did not participate in any atrocities".

Iran

Main article: Iran-Israel relations

Relations between Israel and Iran have alternated from close political alliances between the two states during the era of the Pahlavi dynasty to hostility following the rise to power of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Currently, the countries do not have diplomatic relations with each other.

Germany

Main article: Germany-Israel relations

Israel and Germany maintain a "special relationship" based on shared beliefs, Western values and a combination of historical perspectives. Among the most important factors in their relations is Nazi Germany's role in the genocide of six million European Jews during the Holocaust.

International organizations

The first international organization which the Israeli government joined was the International Wheat Council, established as part of Point Four Program in early 1949. Since May 1949, the State of Israel is a member the United Nations. (See also Israel and the United Nations)

References

Israel's Diplomatic Missions Abroad (Israeli MFA)
Oman (lonelyplanet.com)
Iraq not to establish diplomatic ties with Israel: Allawi (People's Daily) July 27, 2004
Israel and Black Africa: A Rapprochement? Ethan A. Nadelmann. Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Jun., 1981), pp. 183-219
Unknown author. "RSA Nuclear Weapons Program". Federation of American Scientists. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
"South Africa and the affordable bomb". Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. 1994-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Chris McGreal (2006-02-07). "Brothers in arms - Israel's secret pact with Pretoria". The Guardian. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Israel's Foreign Relations since 1947 1984-1988 (MFA)
Belling, Susan (1999-10-02). "Mandela bears message of peace in first visit to Israel". The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
Israel's foreign relations. The Israel-German special relationship Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre] (BICOM) 23 November 2005. Accessed 2006-08-18
German Embassy. Background Papers. Germany and Israel

External links

Official Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs website

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