Czech Republic–Israel relations

Czech Republic – Israel relations

Czech Republic
Israel
Israeli embassy in Prague, Czech Republic.
Reuven Rivlin's visit to Czech Republic, October 2015

Czech Republic – Israel relations are foreign relations between the Czech Republic and Israel, although this article also includes the foreign relations between the Czech Republic's predecessor state, Czechoslovakia and Israel.

History

Israeli relations with Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia was one of the 33 countries that voted in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution recommending the establishment of a Jewish state, and was among the first countries to recognise the State of Israel, which it did on May 18, 1948, four days after Israel's declaration.[1] Diplomatic relations between both countries were established on July 3, 1948, four months after the Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia supported the newly created Israeli state for several months with military aircraft and weapons, however the Communist government later ceased this support and within a few years even the diplomatic relations were broken. The Communist regime spread anti-Israeli propaganda. This was partially due to Israel's relationship to the USA and other western allied countries and partially a result of anti-Semitism.

Following the 1989 Velvet Revolution, diplomatic relations were renewed between Israel and the newly-democratic Czechoslovakia.

Israeli relations with the Czech Republic

After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, diplomatic relations were established between Israel and the two successor states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In December 2008 the Czech Air Force wanted to train in desert conditions for the upcoming mission in Afghanistan. No country agreed to help, except Israel. Israel saw it as an opportunity to thank the Czechs for training Israeli pilots when the country was first established.[2]

The current Czech government is one of Israel's staunchest allies.[3] In light of the Gaza flotilla raid the Czech Republic has gone out in support for Israel and declared that the Turkish flotilla was a planned provocation designed to entrap Israel. President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Dr. Přemysl Sobotka visited Israel on June 2, 2010 and spoke to the Israeli Knesset, “As a doctor, I certainly regret any loss of life, but there is no doubt that this was a planned provocation designed to drag Israel into a trap. Many in the European community feel as I do,” he added, “but they are afraid to speak out publicly.” Sobotka met with Speaker of the Knesset Reuven Rivlin, and told him, “I support the position that views Hamas as a terrorist organization… It is too bad that European countries present an unbalanced position on this matter. Unfortunately, the positions of the international community are not always to my taste, particularly in Europe.”[4]

The Czech Republic has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 3 honorary consulates (in Haifa, Jerusalem and Ramat Gan). Israel has an embassy in Prague.

There are 3,000 Jews living in the Czech Republic. Both countries are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean.

There exists a romantic "Neo-Renaissance" revivalism of Jewish character in Prague today and attracts many foreign visitors every year to its Jewish quarter which includes the oldest synagogue in central Europe.

The Czech Republic was the only European country to vote together with Israel against upgrading Palestinian status to "non-member observer state" in a 29 November 2012 UN General Assembly vote.[5]

During his visit to Israel in November 2014, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek claimed that "The image of Israel in the Czech media and society is one of a trusted friend, a vibrant democracy, and an economic and technological powerhouse. The Czech Republic continues to enjoy one of the lowest levels of anti-Semitism in Europe".[6] In 2015, ex Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel Moshe Arens said Czech-Israel relations are excellent and best of all nations of the European Union.[7]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit in Prague said "Israel has no better friend in Europe than the Czech Republic".[8]

In December 2015 Czech Parliament refused to implement controversial EU bill which was supposed to label Israeli products from the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. According to Czech lawmakers this bill is anti-semitic and discriminating "against the only democracy in the Middle East". Israel’s ambassador Gary Koren thanked the Czech legislators for their decision.[9]

In October 2016 Czech Parliament protested against UNESCO statement which excluded Jewish heritage of Western Wall and other traditional places in Jerusalem. Israeli Minister of Science, Technology and Space, Ofir Akunis, express thanks for Czech Parliament and Czech Republic, calling it as "heroic act" and announced full support for all Czech-Israeli activities and relations.[10] In Parliament protest against UNESCO decision, Parliamentaries warned about increasing of antisemitism and discreditation of UNESCO and neutrality of UNESCO.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK", 1950, p.
  2. ↑ Czech pilots train in Israel for Afghan mission
  3. ↑ AFP
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ "A/67/L.28 of 26 November 2012 and A/RES/67/19 of 29 November 2012". Unispal.un.org. Archived from the original on 2012-12-10. Retrieved 2012-12-02.
  6. ↑ Reflections on Czech-Israeli Relations in Light of EU Policies, Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, IX (1), 87-91.
  7. ↑ "Moše Arens: Česko musí zůstat své, Západ je jako za Chamberlaina (in Czech)". ČT24. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/30/czech-vote-against-palestine_n_2217861.html". Huffington Post. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2015. External link in |title= (help)
  9. ↑ http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Czech-Parliament-rejects-labeling-of-products-from-Israeli-settlements-437688
  10. ↑ http://echo24.cz/a/iWJar/svetlo-v-temnote-nenavisti-izrael-dekuje-cesku-za-podporu
  11. ↑ http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Czech-lower-parliament-UNESCO-Jerusalem-resolution-strengthens-antisemitism-470432
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