title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: China is one of Israel's closest economic allies in East Asia where both countries have placed considerable importance on maintaining a strategic and supportive economic relationship. The economic synergy has served the two respective countries greatly where Israel's global technological prowess combined with China's global economic influence, industrial manufacturing capabilities, and marketing expertise made cooperation between the two nations inevitable. China including Hong Kong is Israel's second top export destination after the United States and has been the top market for Israeli exports in East Asia. China is also Israel's third largest trading partner and export market after the United States and the European Union with China being Israel's largest export market in East Asia. Israel has sought China's enormous global influence on world affairs, large consumer market, broad industrial manufacturing scale, and burgeoning economic dynamism while China has sought Israel as a powerhouse of advanced technological wizardry and a wellspring of entrepreneurial acumen leveraging each other's complementary capabilities and resources. China has sought Israel's technology to increase its international economic competitiveness and risk management. With the advice and experience of Jewish entrepreneurs, innovators, and inventors from the high-technology sectors, China has utilized Israel's indispensable economic and technological contributions to foster its long-term economic development. China has also expressed desire for Israel's advanced technologies, particularly in fields related to agriculture, telecommunications, and defense. The scientific and technological advancements made by Israel have led many Chinese politicians to respect the country's ingenuity and creative inventiveness because they know of the contributions Israel has made to its economy. Israeli agricultural techniques, most notably drip irrigation, and solar energy technologies are seen as crucial to China's economic development. Throughout Israel's early economic history, many Israeli startup companies were acquired by major U.S. and Western European corporations. Since the 2010s, China and Israel enhanced bilateral economic ties with China connecting both Chinese and Israeli businessmen and investors to invest in each other's economies respectively. Chinese economic cooperation with Israel has seen substantial Chinese investment of more than US$15 billion in the Israeli economy, spawning seed capital in Israeli startup companies, as well as the acquisition of Israeli companies by major Chinese corporations that incorporate Israel's know how to help the invigorate the development of the modern Chinese economy more efficiently. China now ranks second after the United States in collaboration with Israeli high-tech firms that are backed by Israel's Office of the Chief Scientist. Major Chinese firms such as Fosun, ChemChina, Brightfood, Horizons Ventures and China Everbright have invested significant amounts of financial capital and resources across numerous Israeli industries. Chinese businessmen and major Chinese corporations hold Israel's business, economic and entrepreneurial acumen and technological expertise with high esteem and have sought to integrate Israel's know-how with China's marketing proficiency, industrial manufacturing capacity and aptitude for large consumer market scaling.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Hong Kong have full diplomatic ties as part of Israel's diplomatic ties with China. Israel has a consulate in the city, while Hong Kong is represented in Israel by the Chinese embassy in Tel Aviv.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: India established diplomatic relations with the State of Israel in 1992 and has since become Israel's strongest ally in Asia. The two countries cooperate in anti-terrorist activities in the Middle East and Southern Asia. Israel is India's second largest arms provider and India is Israel's principal arms market, and the trade volume between the two countries has increased significantly in the past few years. Co-operation has taken place in the space sector as well with India launching Israeli satellites. India became the top source market for Israel from Asia in 2010 with 41,000 tourist arrivals in that year.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and India share intelligence on terrorist groups. They have developed close defense and security ties since establishing diplomatic relations in 1991. In 2009, Israel overtook Russia as India's biggest arms supplier; the U.S. even gave Israel approval to sell the Phalcon to India after earlier forcing Jerusalem to cancel a similar deal with China. India has bought more than $5 billion worth of Israeli equipment since 2002. In addition, Israel is training Indian military units and discussing an arrangement to give Indian commandos instruction in counter-terrorist tactics and urban warfare. In December 2008, Israel and India signed a memorandum to set up an Indo-Israel Legal Colloquium to facilitate discussions and exchange programs between judges and jurists of the two countries. According to an international opinion survey conducted in 2009 on behalf of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, India is the most pro-Israel country in the world.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: India-Israel relationship has been very close and warm under the premiership of Narendra Modi since 2014. In 2017, he was the first ever Prime Minister of India to visit Israel. India was the largest arms customer of Israel in 2017. Defence relations between the two countries are longstanding.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 2012, Indonesia agreed to informally upgrade its relations with Israel and to open a consulate in Ramallah, headed by a diplomat with the rank of ambassador, who will also unofficially serve as his country's ambassador for contacts with Israel. The move, which was agreed upon after five years of sensitive deliberations, represents a de facto upgrading of relations between Israel and the world's most populous Muslim country. Indonesia has formally presented the move to open a West Bank consulate as a demonstration of its support for Palestinian independence. In fact, while the ambassador-ranked diplomat will be accredited to the Palestinian Authority/PLO, a significant portion of his work will be in dealings with Israel, and the office will fulfill substantial diplomatic duties as well as consular responsibilities. Israel and Indonesia quietly maintain trade, security and other relations. Israelis can get visas for Bali in Singapore, while many Indonesians come to Israel as pilgrims.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: On 15 May 1952, diplomatic relations were established with 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, no break occurred, despite the Arab oil embargo on several countries, including Japan.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 April 1992. The embassy of Israel in Kazakhstan opened in August 1992. The embassy of Kazakhstan in Israel opened in May 1996. Israel has an embassy in Astana and Kazakhstan maintains an embassy in Tel Aviv.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Malaysia do not maintain diplomatic relations and Malaysian passports do not allow entry into Israel. However, Malaysia and Israel has been engaged in trade relations; in 2011 Israel exported goods to Malaysia worth $716.4 million and imported goods worth $93.6 million. A report compiled by the European Commission indicated that in 2010 Malaysia ranked 15th among Israel's major trade partners, accounting for 0.8% (€667.6 million) of Israel's trade in that year.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 2009, under president Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives signed cooperation agreements with Israel on tourism, health, and education and culture. In 2010, the Israeli government sent a team of eye doctors to treat patients and train local medical personnel in the Maldives. However, the renewed relationship did not develop into full diplomatic relations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In July 2014, under president Abdulla Yameen, the Maldives terminated the cooperation agreements with Israel and announced a boycott of Israeli products, as Israel launched a military operation in Gaza. Foreign minister Dunya Maumoon also announced that the Maldives would fully support Palestinians at international forums such as the United Nations Human Rights Council and offer them humanitarian aid.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In October 1991 the official relationship of Mongolia and Israel began. Ariel Sharon visited in Mongolia in 2001, when he was minister in the Likud government. Israelis wishing to enter Mongolia are exempt from arming a visa in advance. The Mongolian immigration authorities tend to provide visitors to the country a 30 days visa on their arrival. One can extend the visa fee and the extension is at the discretion of the authorities.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: An academic delegation from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem visited the Mongolian National University in August 2010. During the visit, an agreement was signed for cooperation between universities. In 2012, the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon visited and signed an agreement with the Mongolian Minister of Education which included collaboration between universities and institutions of higher education, in which Mongolians will learn about Israel and the Holocaust and Israel will learn about the heritage and history of Mongolia. It was also agreed on expanding ties between the two countries and embassies.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Myanmar (also known as Burma) was one of the first countries to recognize Israel and establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Myanmar has also become one of Israel's strongest allies in the region, in terms of both technical assistance and also the much debated and rumored military links. Premiers from both sides such as U Nu and David Ben-Gurion made state visits to each other's countries in the 1950s. Myanmar sends agriculture researchers to Israel for training. This was further cemented in Israel's aid assistance during the Cyclone Nargis disaster of May 2008.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel–Nepal relations, first established in 1960, are based on mutual security concerns. Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, Prime Minister of Nepal from 1959 to 1960, had a strongly pro-Israel foreign policy. King Mahendra visited Israel in 1963 and maintained Koirala's special relationship. Until the 1990s Nepal was the only South Asian country to have diplomatic ties with Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Nepal is one of the few Asian countries to have consistently supported Israel at international forums and at the UN. Nepal has maintained diplomatic relations and continues to support the right of Israel to exist within secure and internationally recognized boundaries. Nepal voted in favour of Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which upheld the right of all the states in the region to live in peace. Nepal has also welcomed every initiative from whatever quarter that seeks to resolve the Middle East problems like the Camp David Accord signed between Egypt and Israel in 1978 and the renewed peace process sponsored time to time by countries like the USA.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: After the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Israel was one of the first to send aid to Nepal. Israel sent a delegation of 264 people for Search & Rescue missions, and over 95 tons of equipment, including a field hospital. It is estimated that about 12,000 Nepalese foreign workers are residing in Israel, most of whom are women working as caregivers.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Pakistan do not have diplomatic relations with each other, and Pakistani passports say 'This passport is valid for all countries of the World except Israel'. Israeli authorities told a traveller that Pakistanis could apply for a visa, and that they would issue a paper visa and put the entry and exit stamps on it. Some Israeli leaders have expressed the belief that should diplomatic relations with Pakistan be established, then Pakistan could serve as a bridge between Israel and the Muslim world. In 2008, the Israeli Foreign minister stated that "Israel considers Pakistan as its biggest strategic threat" in light of concern over the increasing Taliban threat in Pakistan.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks in India, there was an attack on the Nariman House Jewish community centre. Six people (among them four Israeli citizens), including a Jewish rabbi and his pregnant wife, were killed with some of them being tortured before being killed. The Islamic terrorists had illegally come from Pakistan, reportedly on the instructions of Pakistan Army's Inter Services Intelligence


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: On 29 November 1947, the Philippines (a U.S. territory until 1946) was the only Asian nation to support the partition resolution at the United Nations General Assembly recommending a Jewish State in Palestine. Israel and the Philippines established full diplomatic relationships in 1957. Embassies were opened in Tel Aviv and Manila in 1962. The two countries have enjoyed warm relations in all spheres. In 1997, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) institutionalizing the bilateral political dialogue between the respective foreign ministries. The political dialog is accompanied by cooperation in trade and economy, culture, technical assistance, science, academic exchanges, tourism etc. There are between 37,155 and 50,000 Filipino workers in Israel as of 2004.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Singapore and Israel have strong bilateral ties and have enjoyed close relations from the outset. This is in part due to both countries' perceptions of themselves as regional economic powerhouses surrounded by much larger Islamic countries with which they have an uneasy relationship. Following Singapore's sudden and unexpected independence after being unilaterally ejected from Malaysia In 1963, Singapore appealed to the international community for technical assistance and military aid. Israel assisted with the establishment of Singapore's armed forces.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Today both countries have extensive economic ties and engage in a high volume of trade, with an emphasis on technology and research and development in the spheres of bio-technology and defense. Israel's national airline El Al does not fly to Singapore as Singapore is located in the region of Indonesia and Malaysia, both of which do not recognise Israel as a state which makes attaining flight rights impossible. Israel has had diplomatic representation in Singapore since its earliest days, with representation formalised in 1968. Singapore is a regional hub for Israeli businesses, while a growing number of members of both business communities seek opportunities for joint ventures in biotechnology, IT and the software industries. Several bilateral agreements provide a solid framework for cooperation in areas such as healthcare, defence, and technological research & development. Most recently, in 1997, a bi-national fund for financing new technological products was set up, an indicator of deepening bilateral relations between both states. Cultural exchanges have been accentuated by encouraging the participation of Israeli artists in international events in Singapore, cultivating a broad interest in Israeli performing arts. The yearly Film Festival has grown to become a cornerstone in the structured framework of activities.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In March 2022, Singapore announced that it will open an embassy in Tel Aviv, 53 years after the two nations first established diplomatic relations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Republic of Korea and the State of Israel established diplomatic relations on 10 April 1962. Israel opened its embassy in Seoul in April 1968, which was closed by the Israeli government in 1978. The embassy was reopened in January 1992, with Korea opening its resident embassy in Tel Aviv in December 1993.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: On 23 August 2010 Korea Venture Investment Corp. (KVIC), a state-backed fund management company, signed a memorandum of understanding with Israel's Vertex Venture Capital (VVC) to raise a US$150 million fund, which will be used to finance joint ventures or the merger and acquisition of small and mid-size venture firms in the two countries.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel was a source of weapons and training for the Sri Lanka Armed Forces during the war against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam terrorist organization and weapons sold to the country, including IAI Kfir Fighter Jet, the Saar 4 class missile boats, Super Dvora Mk II-class patrol boat and the Gabriel missile. In May 2011, the Israeli Minister of Agriculture visited Sri Lanka with an agro-business delegation to promote cooperation between the two countries.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Thailand and Israel have had full diplomatic relations since 23 June 1954. The Israeli embassy was opened in 1958 although the Thai embassy in Tel Aviv only opened in 1996. Since the beginning, both countries have enjoyed strong ties and beneficial bilateral cooperation in many fields, most notably in agriculture and education. Thousands of Thai academics have been sent to train in Israel while many Thai schools have been modeled after Israel's experience and know-how with aid from Mashav. State visits by Thai royalty to Israel have been reciprocated by Israel's public figures. 100,000 Israeli tourists visit Thailand annually. Thousands of skilled and unskilled Thai workers are employed in Israel and many Thai students study in Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: There is also a Thai-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Israel Friendship Foundation as well as a small community of Israelis living in Thailand.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Vietnam and Israel established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1993. Israel opened its resident embassy in Hanoi in December 1993. The first Vietnamese ambassador to Israel presented his credentials on 8 July 2009. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have frequently conducted reciprocal visits at various levels, and have strengthened ties in such fields as business, education, culture, technological cooperation and agriculture. The visits arranged by the Israeli government included those of delegations comprising entrepreneurs and businessmen, academic groups, journalists, artists and musicians, legal workers, and so on.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Albania established diplomatic relations on 20 August 1991. Albania had previously recognized Israel as a state since 1949. Albania has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel also has an embassy in Tirana.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Since independence, Armenia has received support from Israel and today remains one of its major trade partners. Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 April 1992. Israel maintains a consulate in Yerevan, while Armenia has an embassy in Tel-Aviv and an honorary consulate in Jerusalem. Israel has recognized 10 Armenians as Righteous Among the Nations for risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Austria recognized Israel on 5 March 1949. Austria has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 3 honorary consulates (in Eilat, Haifa and Jerusalem). Israel has an embassy in Vienna. Both countries are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Austrian Foreign Ministry lists the bilateral treaties with Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Azerbaijani–Israeli relations are good, and Israel has an embassy in Baku. In May 1999, the U.S.-Azerbaijan Council sponsored a seminar to discuss relations among Azeris, Jews, and Israel. In April 2000, an Israeli trade delegation visited Baku to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral economic relations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Azerbaijan–Israel Friendship Society facilitates and promotes bilateral diplomatic and business links. In October 2001, President Aliyev pledged to open an embassy in Israel and send his Foreign Minister to visit the country. Although neither has occurred, Azerbaijani–Israeli strategic cooperation continues to grow.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: For many years, Azerbaijan has maintained high rates of immigration to Israel due to the economic and political situation in the country. In 2002, 475 Jews made aliyah and 111 immigrated to the United States. The Azeri government gets regular updates from Israel regarding Azeri Jews in Israel, who are plagued by unemployment, crime, and other social issues as new immigrants in Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel established relations with Belarus in 1992 and continue to maintain friendly relations. In April 2000, Belarus and Israel signed an agreement on trade, science, culture, and education. The two countries also formed a joint committee to improve relations between the two nations. Belarus has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Minsk. The two countries have also discussed implementing a visa-free regime between the two countries. Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei continues to satisfied with the relations between the two countries and also expressed hope for new opportunities to facilitate further all-round cooperation with Israel in conjunction with fostering progressive development with the Jewish state. Both nations celebrated its 20th anniversary in December 2012. Bilateral cooperation has since then encapsulated tourism, culture, trade, economy, science, education and other fields. In 2013, Belarusian Vice Premier Mikhail Rusyi met top Israeli officials from the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry, the State Committee for Science and Technology, Belarusbank and the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee to further facilitate economic cooperation as well as development of innovative technologies into the Belarusian agricultural sector.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Bulgaria have strong ties. Bulgaria was one of the only countries which saved its Jews during World War II (48,000 in total). Israel and Bulgaria established diplomatic relations in 1948. After the Six-Day War Bulgaria cut diplomatic ties with Israel. In 1988, Bulgaria joined the wave of first nations to recognise the State of Palestine, something it has never withdrawn. In 1990 diplomatic relations were renewed. Bulgaria has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Sofia and honorary consul in Varna.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The cooperation has been consolidated by unexpected actions of goodwill from both nations. In the summer 2010 Bulgaria dispatched 90 firefighters to Israel to join the efforts to put out a massive wild-fire that raged outside of Haifa. In the summer of 2012, Israel sent two 'Air Tractor' planes to Bulgaria to help that nation fight a wild-fire in the Vitosha Mountains near Sofia further signifying notions of repayment and as well as the strengthening of relations between the two countries. On 7 July 2011, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a declaration pledging closer cooperation between the two countries and the governments between the two countries would result in a wide range of areas that include foreign affairs, national security and emergency preparedness, tourism, energy, and agriculture. Israel also took note of Bulgaria's prompt on international cooperation between the two countries to preserve memory, learning, and research on the Holocaust, combating xenophobia and antisemitism.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In January 2012, Israel and Bulgaria signed two additional memorandum of understanding, which the purpose where one was for joint military training exercises and one for cooperation in the defence sector. The two agreements were signed by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov. Minister Angelov said the two agreements, in addition to their economic and defense benefits, also "bring a political message – Bulgaria and Israel are a step closer towards stronger cooperation and a strategic dialogue." After the 2012 Burga bus bombing, Bulgaria and Israel pledged to increase security relations between the two countries discussing various aspects of bilateral cooperation at a meeting at the Ministry of Interior between Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Tsvetlin Iochev and Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Avigdor Leiberman in November 2013. An international investigation led by Bulgaria has established was the work of people linked with the bombing to the military wing of Hezbollah where five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian citizen died.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The governments of both countries also intend to cooperate in the high-tech sector, the communications sector, health care and agriculture and to continue the positive development of tourism between the two countries and energy resource divestment. Israel also intends to join with Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Romania to launch a regional group for crisis response which will boost the partnership between these countries in cases of common security challenges as result of a March 2014 meeting between Avigdor Lieberman and Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: While Croatia was part of the Yugoslavia Federation (1943–1991) it established diplomatic relations with Israel in year 1948 through the Federation, but after Israel attacked Yugoslavia's Non-Aligned Movement ally Egypt in the Six-Day War in 1967, Yugoslavia severed all diplomatic relations with Israel. After the breakup of Yugoslavia occurred as a result of a series of political upheavals and conflicts Croatia declared independence on 8 October 1991 and officially renewed its bilateral relations with Israel which recognized Croatia as an independent state on 16 April 1992, but due to some disagreements with the Croatian President Tuđman full diplomatic relations were established 5 years later, on 4 September 1997. Since then relations between Croatia and Israel have been excellent. Croatia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 4 honorary consulates (in Ashdod, Caesarea, Jerusalem and Kfar Shmaryahu). Israel has an embassy in Zagreb. In addition, Croatia does not recognize the State of Palestine.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel has had diplomatic relations with Cyprus since Israel's independence in 1948, when Cyprus was a British protectorate. Israel and Cyprus' associations have continued to expand since 1960, the year of Cyprus' independence. The neighboring countries trade regularly and there are high flows of tourism between them. However, Cypriot politicians have frequently spoken out against Israeli military raids in the Palestinian territories as well as the 2006 Lebanon War, during which Cyprus was forced to manage a heavy flow of refugees and aid out of and into Lebanon.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: However, the discovery of natural gas in the Leviathan gas field led to a thawing of relations between the two governments. The two countries demarcated their Exclusive Economic Zones in 2010. Israel's rising antagonism with Turkey further increased the level of cooperation between the two countries, as Israel compensated by improving its relations elsewhere. In February 2012, Netanyahu visited Cyprus, the first visit of an Israeli Prime Minister in history. The collaboration between Cyprus, Israel and Greece on natural gas extraction has been characterised by the media as the Energy Triangle.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Cyprus serves an important role as the place where most Israeli couples obtain civil marriages, because Cyprus is the closest country on good diplomatic terms with Israel that issues civil marriages. Israel does not issue civil marriages, only religious ones, with religious restrictions on the eligibility of marriage, and a recent law allows civil marriages in Israel under one condition: both individuals are non-Jewish residents of the state. Israel does however recognize civil marriages issued abroad, with Cyprus being the largest source of easy civil marriage licenses.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Relations between Israel and Cyprus are based on mutual respect for Western values, the support for free-market economy and the establishment of democracies in the Middle East that would co-exist peacefully.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and the Czech Republic share a special relationship. Czechoslovakia was the only country to send aid to Israel in its early years e.g. arms shipments from Czechoslovakia to Israel 1947–1949.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: 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.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The relations between Denmark and Israel have been friendly and warm. Denmark voted for the partition of Palestine in 1947 and supports Israel in the United Nations. Denmark was one of few countries in Europe to save most of its Jewish population during the WWII. In Jerusalem, there is a monument to the rescue of Danish Jews, a school is named in Denmark's honor, and the King Christian X hospital in Eitanim is named after Denmark's king during World War II. Denmark has an embassy in Israel, and Israel has an embassy in Copenhagen.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The political lives of the two states have been somewhat intertwined: The former Israeli minister of social and diaspora affairs Michael Melchior was born in Denmark and is the son of former chief rabbi in Copenhagen, Bent Melchior, the nephew of former Danish minister of traffic and minister of tourism and communication Arne Melchior, and the grandson of the acting rabbi for the Jewish refugees from Denmark in Sweden 1943–45, Marcus Melchior; the executive director of the Peres Center for Peace 2001–2011, Ron Pundak who played an important role in starting the Oslo peace process and was part of the core group behind the Geneva Initiative, is the son of the influential Danish journalist Herbert Pundik; and the prominent Israeli politician Yohanan Plesner, former chairman of the Plesner Committee, is the son of Danish architect Ulrik Plesner.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Estonia and Israel maintain excellent relations. Israel officially recognized the Republic of Estonia on 4 September 1991 and diplomatic relations were established on 9 January 1992. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet opened the Estonian Embassy in Tel Aviv in November 2009.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 2004, a joint Finland-Israel Technology (FIT) cooperation program was created for research and development projects in the field of ICT. The Office of the Chief Scientist in Israel and Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Research and Innovation, allocated five million euros each for the funding of projects. In 2005, Finnish exports to Israel totaled 155,24 million euros and imports from Israel to Finland totaled 95.96 million euros. Finland's leading exports to Israel are telecommunications equipment and machinery, and Israeli fruits and vegetables.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In the early 1950s, France and Israel maintained close political and military ties as common enemies of Pan-Arab nationalism. France was Israel's main weapons supplier until its withdrawal from Algeria in 1962 removed most common interest from the relationship, and France became increasingly critical of Israel. This new reality became clear when, in the crisis leading up to the Six-Day War in June 1967, Charles de Gaulle's government imposed an arms embargo on the region, mostly affecting Israel, which had relied on France for weapons over the previous decade. Under François Mitterrand in the early 1980s, French–Israeli relations improved greatly. Mitterrand was the first French president to visit Israel while in office. In 1967, after the Six-Day War, 5,300 French Jews immigrated to Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Relations between Israel and Georgia remain excellent. Georgia's former defense minister from 2006 to 2008, Davit Kezerashvili, had previously lived in Israel. Israel has been selling weapons to Georgia for seven years financed by grants from the USA Included in these weapons are Israeli-built spy drones provided through the former mayor of Tel Aviv, Roni Milo. Israeli advisors, estimated to number between 100 and 1,000, have trained the Georgian military for some time. The two nations also maintain a visa free policy where Georgian and Israeli officials signed an agreement to lift visa requirements for Georgian citizens traveling to Israel, reciprocating Georgia's visa-free policy for Israelis in place since mid-2005.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Georgia has its embassy in Tel Aviv, and the State of Israel has its embassy in Tbilisi. In June 2013, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili praised the Jewish people and Israel and has sought to increase relations between Israel and Georgia elucidating his special relationship between him, Georgia and the Jewish people. Ivanishvili also wanted to extend strategic partnerships and as well as furthering economic cooperation by making it easier for Israeli entrepreneurs and investors to not just do business in Israel, but also facilitate the right paths to do business for the Georgians. The Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business was established in 1996 in order to facilitate business transactions between the two friendly countries and acting as a guide for Israeli businesses through the Georgian economy. Major sectors include insurance, real estate and construction, medical and dental solutions, industrial and utility projects, and energy.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Due to its role in the Holocaust, Israel was at first extremely hostile towards Germany and initially refused to establish relations with them. However, relations gradually thawed as Germany offered to pay reparations in 1952, and diplomatic relations were officially established in 1965. Israel and Germany now 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 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Germany is a prime supplier of arms to Israel, including Dolphin submarines. The military co-operation has been discreet but mutually profitable: Israeli intelligence, for example, sent captured Warsaw Pact armor to West Germany to be analyzed. The results aided the German development of an anti-tank system.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Both Greece and Turkey recognized the State of Israel in the late 1940s, but were diplomatically represented in Tel Aviv on lower-than-embassy levels. Greek–Israeli relations improved in 1995. Trade doubled between 1989 and 1995. That year Israel exported $200 million worth of chemicals and oil products to Greece and imported $150 million worth of cement, food, and building materials. Israel is the second largest importer of Greek products in the Middle East.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: A Greek–Israeli cooperation agreement on military affairs was concluded as early as December 1994 (predating the Turkish–Israeli agreement of February 1996); however, both sides refrained from activating the agreement. Greece was apparently concerned about alienating the Arab world while Israel did not wish to upset the Turks. Greece and Israel agreed to hold joint naval maneuvers at the end of the summer 1997, but they were indefinitely postponed by the Greeks. The reason given for the postponement was that the Greek navy was busy preventing infiltrations from Albania, and it could not spare a frigate for the exercises.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Greece–Israel relations improved as Turkey–Israel relations worsened in the aftermath of the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid. In October 2010, the Israeli and Greek air-forces trained jointly in Greece. According to the BBC, this signified a boost in ties that was due in large part to Israel's rift with Turkey. In November 2011, the Israeli Air Force hosted Greece's Hellenic Air Force in a joint exercise at the Uvda base.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The joint Cyprus–Israel oil and gas explorations are also an important factor for Greece, given its strong links with Cyprus. Additionally Greek and Israeli state controlled energy companies are planning to lay the world's longest subsea power cable, linking Israel, Cyprus and Greece by 2023. The link, called the EuroAsia Interconnector project, will be the longest in the world.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: A new joint action committee for the Greek–Israeli alliance has been created in the U.S. Congress in early 2013. The creation and goals of the Greek-Israeli Caucus under the name Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance were announced at a special event held in the Congress. It is co-chaired by Congress members Gus Bilirakis the Republican representative from Florida and Ted Deutch the Democrat from Florida, and the Greek-Israeli Caucus consists of powerful members of both Republican and Democratic party. It is estimated that it may become the most important pressure group in Congress by 2014.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the Vatican opposed Zionist policies and objectives in Palestine. In 1947, during discussions at the United Nations about the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, the Vatican supported the internationalization of Jerusalem, in order to keep the holy places away from either Israeli or Arab sovereignty. In October 1948, as the 1948 Arab–Israeli War was in progress, Pope Pius XII, deeply disturbed by that violent conflict, issued the encyclical "In multiplicibus curis", in which he called on the peace-makers to give Jerusalem and its outskirts "an international character" and to assure – "with international guarantees" – freedom of access and worship at the holy places scattered throughout Palestine. In April 1949, he issued the encyclical "Redemptoris nostri cruciatus", in which he appealed for justice for the Palestinian refugees and repeated his call for an "international status" as the best form of protection for the holy places.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Following the Six-Day War, the Vatican modified its position on the holy places. In an address to the College of Cardinals in December 1967, Pope Paul VI called for a ""special statute", internationally guaranteed" for Jerusalem and the Holy Places, thus changing the previous demand for the internationalization of Jerusalem.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Diplomatic relations between the Israeli government and the Vatican were established in 1994, following the conclusion of the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Israel, signed on 30 December 1993. The Holy See (the Vatican), which has UN observer status, is the only non-UN member state with which Israel has diplomatic relations and the only non-UN member state recognised by Israel. An important organ in these relations is the Israel-Vatican Bilateral Commission, established under article 10 of the Agreement to resolve economic issues between the parties.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 2000, Pope John Paul II visited Israel, followed by visits of Pope Benedict XVI (2009) and Pope Francis (2014). The bilateral commission convened on 30 April 2009 and 10 December 2009.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Hungary and Israel established full diplomatic relations in 1948 and severed during the Six-Day War in 1967. Relations were restored in 1989 with improved relations as well as the opening of embassies and consulates with Hungary having an embassy in Tel Aviv and 4 honorary consulates (in Eilat, Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) and Israel has an embassy in Budapest and an honorary consulate in Szeged. Both countries have stressed the increasing of trade and tourism between one another and an estimated 30,000 Hungarian Jews emigrated to Israel in 1948. Both nations are also members of the Union for the Mediterranean.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In January 2022, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett thanked his Hungarian counterpart, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for the Hungarian government's consistent support of Israel at international forums.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Full diplomatic relations between Ireland and Israel were established in 1975. As of 2016 the Israeli ambassador to Ireland is Zeev Boker and the Irish ambassador to Israel is Alison Kelly.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Irish government followed a similar line to other EU governments during the 2006 Lebanon War, with the Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, condemning the actions of Israel as "reckless and disproportionate" and calling for an immediate ceasefire on both sides, while also condemning the actions of Hezbollah. During the conflict, a shipment of bombs that attempted to land in Ireland from USA to Tel Aviv was denied use of Irish airspace and airfields by the Irish Government. The weapons were part of a series of agreed arms shipments between the United States Government and Israel. The shipments were diverted via Scotland, where they also caused controversy.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 2010, the Israel Defense Forces forcibly boarded an Irish aid ship destined for the Gaza Strip which resulted in worsened relations, Israel's Mossad was also involved in the counterfeiting of Irish passports, 2 members of the Israeli ambassador's security staff in Dublin were subsequently deported. In 2010, there were numerous protests at the Israeli embassy in Ireland over the treatment of Palestinians.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Relations between Italy and Israel remain strong, with frequent diplomatic exchanges and a large volume of trade. The Israeli Government has followed with great attention the fight against international terrorism pursued by the Italian Government.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: On 17 February 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, a move Serbia rejects. Kosovo has been recognized by a substantial number of UN members, including the United States and most members of the European Union. At the time of the declaration, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official stated: "We haven't decided when we're going to decide, and instead will monitor events and consider the issue". Israel was reluctant to recognize Kosovo's independence, in part because of the possibility of Palestinians using recognition of Kosovo to justify their own unilateral declaration of independence. On 21 September 2018 the president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci told that he would place the Kosovo embassy in Jerusalem if Israel recognized Kosovo as an independent state. Israel and Kosovo agreed to establish diplomatic relations on 4 September 2020. In March 2022, Kosovo officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem after becoming the first Muslim-majority territory to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Latvia and Israel established diplomatic relations 6 January 1992. In October 2012, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs called on Israeli officials for the development of economic and trade contacts between both countries and support for Latvia's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Rinkevics also met with Israeli President Shimon Peres on behalf of President Berzins to visit Latvia. Rinkevics and Peres agreed on the key significance of education and knowledge-based economies for the development of small countries further paving opportunities for our future cooperation between the two nations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also corroborated claims that Israel is interested in forging closer relations with Latvia as Rinkevics emphasized the 20th anniversary of relations between Latvia and Israel in 2012 and both foreign ministers expressed their commitment to strengthening economic and trade cooperation, including contacts between Latvian and Israeli entrepreneurs and a more cooperative operation in the fields of education, culture and science.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel recognized Lithuania's independence in 1991. Both countries established diplomatic relation in 1992. Israel has an embassy in Vilnius. Lithuania has an embassy in Tel Aviv and two honorary consulates (in Herzliya and Ramat Gan). Relations are warm and friendly between the two nations and both bi-national trade and tourism has doubled, and two new regularly scheduled flights have just been set between the two countries since 2010.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Lithuanian achievements, particularly Lithuania's achievements in biochemistry and the biosciences have attracted Israeli entrepreneurs and investors to invest in Lithuania's science and technology sector and Lithuania is enthusiastic in combining Israel's knack for unlocked untapped entrepreneurial and intellectual potential combined with Lithuania's strong science and technology research base and talented workforce. Both nations have concluded an agreement on cooperation in industrial research and experimental development as further cooperation within venture capital to fund joint research projects remains underway.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Bilateral meetings between both nations reached unexpected highs between 2009–2011 and cooperations between the two nations remain excellent with several forms of cooperation that include science, economics, education, and culture as emphasized by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has stated Israel as model of innovation in which is one of the reasons that Lithuania is interested in enhancing its bilateral relations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 2011 alone, Israeli tourism to Lithuania grew by 62 percent, and Lithuanian exports to Israel increased by 54 percent. Israel's leading pharmaceutical company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, has a manufacturing plant in Lithuania and TEVA recently invested in "Sicor Biotech", a Lithuanian biotechnological pharmaceutical company, further signifying economic cooperation and encourages the development of such sciences as biotechnology and genetic engineering in Lithuanian universities.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israeli companies have taken a very active interest in possibilities for carrying out clinical research in Lithuania; many of them are already in cooperation with Lithuanian medical institutions and have invested in Lithuania's burgeoning life sciences sector. In 2013, Lithuanian biotechnology company ProBioSanus signed a representation agreement with Bharat Israel where ProBioSanus' natural, probiotic-based cleaning and personal care products will be available for sale in Israel for the first time. The company already opened stores in Lithuania and Scandinavia. Mr Andrejauskas, head of ProBioSanus spoke of this agreement saying that "We have a strong scientific base and intellectual potential in Lithuania, so we are allocating particular attention to the creation of new formulas and products." Besides Israeli investments in the Lithuanian life science's sector, Lithuanian presence in Israel in the food industry remains strong as Israeli supermarkets sell Lithuanian cheese, curd desserts, Vilnius mayonnaise, Žemaitijos Pienas butter, Panevėžys ice cream, Švyturys-Utenos Alus beers and various styles of Lithuanian liquors. According to Vadimas Ivanovas, a business and financial analyst at Enterprise Lithuania, says that Israeli retail chains are very interested in Lithuanian sweets, pastries, canned vegetables, various sauces, alcoholic beverages, mineral water. "Veal is particularly popular."


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In November 1947, Luxembourg voted in favor of the partition plan to create a Jewish state. Israel and Luxembourg established full diplomatic relations in 1949. Due to Luxembourg's small size, the Israeli embassy is located in Brussels and Luxembourg is represented politically by the Dutch embassy and economically by the Belgian embassy.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Relations between Moldova and Israel were established on 6 June 1992. Israel recognized Moldova on 25 December 1991. Israel is represented in Moldova through its embassy in Chisinau and Moldova has an embassy in Tel Aviv and an honorary consulate in Haifa. Relations between the two countries are friendly and a warm one based on mutual support. A myriad of efforts are primarily focused on the realization of achieved accords on cooperation in the fields of economy, medicine, industry, agriculture, social and cultural issues. Though the volume of trade between Israel and Moldova is low, Larisa Miculet, the Ambassador of Moldova to Israel has stated that there numerous untapped potential of increasing bilateral trade. For Israeli entrepreneurs and investors, Moldova is geopolitically convenient because of its location in the center of Europe, its high transparency between public authorities and foreign investors and due to its having eliminated most of the bureaucratic barriers that hinder business activities. Various business sectors of cooperation between Israel and Moldova range from pharmaceuticals, energy, information technology and software, electronics and electronic equipment, power engineering, metal and plastics processing and construction materials but Moldova has stressed foreign Israeli investments in all segments of the Moldovan economy.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 1947, the Netherlands voted in favor of the establishing Israel and established diplomatic relation in 1949. Israel has an embassy in The Hague and The Netherlands has an embassy in Tel Aviv.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Norway was one of the first countries to recognize Israel on 4 February 1949. Both countries established diplomatic relations later that year. Israel has an embassy which serves Norway and Iceland in Oslo. Norway has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 2 honorary consulates (in Eilat and Haifa). Israels Venner på Stortinget "(Friends of Israel in the Parliament of Norway)" is a pro-Israel caucus group consisting of members of the Parliament of Norway (Stortinget).


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Following the severing of relations after the Six-Day War, Poland was the first Eastern Bloc country to restore relations with Israel in 1986. Full diplomatic relations were reestablished in 1990, after the fall of Communism in Poland.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Estado Novo regime did not recognize Israel. Full diplomatic relations with the Portuguese government were established on 12 May 1977, following the Portuguese revolution of 1974.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Romania and Israel established full diplomatic relations on 11 June 1948. Israel has an embassy in Bucharest. Romania has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 3 honorary consulates (in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv). The two countries have signed many bilateral treaties and agreements and both of them are full members of the Union for the Mediterranean and many other international organizations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Soviet Union voted in favor of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, which paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel. On 17 May 1948, on the third day of Israel's independence, the Soviet Union granted "de jure" recognition to the State of Israel, becoming only the second country to recognise Israel (preceded only by the United States' "de facto" recognition) and the first country to grant Israel "de jure" recognition.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Soviet Union and the other communist states of Eastern Europe (with the exception of Romania) cut diplomatic ties with Israel during the Six-Day War. Relations were restored on 19 October 1991, a few months before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, despite the fact that hostile Arab countries such as Syria also maintain close ties with Russia. Russia is known to supply Syria with weapons.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In September 2010, Israel and Russia signed a comprehensive military agreement that will "increase cooperation on combating terrorism" and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with his Russian counterpart, Anatoly Serdyukov and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and signed the agreement during a ceremony in Moscow. The Russian military plans on purchasing additional Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles. Russia previously bought 12 drones from the Israel Aerospace Industries following the war in South Ossetia.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Diplomatic relations between Israel and Serbia's predecessor state, Yugoslavia, were severed for twenty-four years, from 1967 until 1991, when they were officially renewed, by which time Yugoslavia was in the process of disintegration. Diplomatic relations continued when, in April 1992, the two remaining Yugoslav republics, Serbia and Montenegro, formed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (renamed to Serbia and Montenegro in February 2003). On 3 June 2006, Montenegro and Serbia dissolved the union.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1993. Israel has an embassy in Bratislava, with its first resident ambassador in Slovakia being Yael Rubinstein. Slovakia has an embassy in Tel Aviv. In May 2008, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico called Ehud Olmert and Shimon Peres for the strengthening of diplomatic relations between Israel and Slovakia. An Israel – Slovakia Chamber of Commerce and Industry also exists to facilitate further economic and business cooperation between the two countries.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Slovenia established full diplomatic relations when Israel officially recognized Slovenia on 16 April 1992 and on 28 April 1992 when the countries signed the Protocol establishing diplomatic relations between each other. The Slovenian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce was established in 2010 signifying a strengthening of ties and both countries have discussed bilateral cooperation in business, tourism, science and technology, and agriculture.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Francoist Spain did not recognize Israel, citing an international conspiracy of Jews and Freemasons against Spain. Israel and Spain have maintained diplomatic ties since 1986. Nevertheless, Israeli exports to Spain are on the rise, totalling $870 million in 2006, and Israeli firms doing business with Spain include the Dead Sea Works, Haifa Chemicals, Amdocs, Comverse and Teva Pharmaceuticals.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Sweden voted in favor of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947. Relations between Sweden and Israel were good during the 1950s and 1960s, and Sweden expressed strong support for Israel during the Six-Day War. However, from 1969, Sweden became more critical of Israel. In October 2014 Sweden officially recognized the State of Palestine as the first European Union country.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The First Zionist Congress was held in Basel in 1897, and 15 out of a total of 22 congresses were held in Switzerland. Before the establishment of the State of Israel, Switzerland maintained a consulate in Jerusalem and a consular agency in Tel Aviv. It recognized the new state in 1949 and opened a consulate in Tel Aviv, which was upgraded to an embassy in 1958. The Swiss community in Israel is the largest in the Asian region, totalling around 12,000 persons.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: After escalation of the Middle East conflict, Switzerland halted arms sales and military cooperation with Israel from 2002 to 2005. Since 2004, there has been regular political dialogue between Switzerland and Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Switzerland has represented Israel's interests in numerous countries (Hungary (1967–1989), Guinea (1967–1973), Ceylon/Sri Lanka (1970–1976), Madagascar (1973–1994), Liberia (1973–1983) and Ghana (1973–2002)). Conversely, it has represented the interests of Iran (1958–1987) and Ivory Coast (1973–1986) in Israel. It also lobbied successfully for inclusion of Magen David Adom in the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: On 21 April 2009, Israel recalled its ambassador for consultations due to events that occurred at the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Israeli officials, angered by a meeting between Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz and the Iranian president, recalled its ambassador to Switzerland, Ilan Elgar "for consultations" amid ongoing controversy over an anti-racism conference being held in Geneva.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 December 1991. Israel has an embassy in Kiev. Ukraine has an embassy in Tel Aviv and a consulate-general in Haifa. In July 2010 the foreign ministers of two countries sign an agreement of non-visa traffic between Israel and Ukraine. This came into effect on 9 February 2011 and since then Ukrainians and Israelis may enter territory, travel through it or stay on Ukraine/Israel without having to obtain visas for 90 days within a period of 180 days.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Relations between the Israel and the UK began as hostile. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli war, Britain detained 8,000 Jewish men of military age attempting to make aliyah to Israel in Cyprus, so they could not participate in the fighting. Britain supplied weapons to the Arab states, and almost went to war with Israel. When Israel captured the Negev, the British Ministry of Defence began to draw up plans for a possible invasion of Israel. British planes spied on Israeli positions, and war between the two countries became even more possible when four British planes were shot down by Israel. However, the two countries began to soften later on, and trade began. In 1956 Israel invaded Sinai Peninsula in agreement with France and the UK that invaded Suez. Nevertheless, Anglo-Israeli relations became turbulent in the summer of 2006 when Prime Minister Tony Blair, along with many other European leaders criticized IDF airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, which had high civilian casualties. During the Cameron premiership, relations between the two countries continued to remain close.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Costa Rica was one of the first countries to vote in favor of the establishment of the State of Israel. It maintained its embassy in Jerusalem until August 2006, when it finally relocated to Tel Aviv in order to bolster its ties with the Arab world. In December 2011, Rodrigo Carreras became the Costa Rican ambassador to Israel for the second time, after his posting there in the 1980s. Carreras' father, Benjamin Nunez, also served as the Costa Rican ambassador to Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Following Israel's independence, Guatemala was the first country to open an embassy in Jerusalem in 1959. The embassy was later relocated to Tel Aviv. However, on 16 May 2018 Guatemala again moved its embassy back to Jerusalem. The move to Jerusalem followed two days after the opening of the United States' Embassy to Israel in the city.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Haiti and Israel maintain full diplomatic relations. In 1947, Haiti voted for the UN Partition Plan and the creation of the State of Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel was among the first to send both personnel and aid to Haiti following the devastating earthquake in 2010.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Panama formally recognized the State of Israel on 18 June 1948. The two countries first exchanged in 1960.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Panama voted with Israel against UN resolution 67/19, as well as UN resolution 70/70, and in 2012 had a 30% voting coincidence with Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: On 1 June 2010 Nicaragua suspended diplomatic ties with Israel in response to the Gaza flotilla raid. Relations were restored in March 2017.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Canada's relationship with Israel began in 1947, when Canada was represented on the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP). Canada was one of the 33 countries (including only four Commonwealth members) that voted in favour of the 1947 UN partition Plan, thus beginning a longstanding relationship with the Jewish state based on a shared commitment to democratic values, understanding, and mutual respect.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Cuba sent troops to fight against Israel during the War of Attrition. Cuba also joined the expeditionary forces during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, and broke diplomatic relations with Israel the same year.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: As Cuba's enemy and a very close United States ally, Israel was the only country in the world that consistently sided with the U.S. blockade against Cuba.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In late 2010, Fidel Castro, who at this time no longer held office in Cuba's government, stated that he believes Israel has a 'right to exist', which is a shift from his "régime"'s earlier policy.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Mexico and Israel have had diplomatic relations since January 1950. Throughout the years, they have maintained close relations with each other. In 2000, a free trade agreement was signed between the two nations. Mexico has also purchased weapons from Israel and is one of Israel's closest allies in the Americas.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: 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 (It was the first country to recognize the establishment of the State) to an unusual partnership that links Israel with the United States trying to balance competing interests in the Middle East region. The United States has been considered Israel's most powerful and supportive ally and hosts the annual Salute to Israel Parade in New York City. From 1948 to 2012, the United States has provided Israel with $233.7 billion in aid (after adjusting for inflation). In addition, the US has provided Israel with $19 billion in loan guarantees.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The United States is Israel's largest trading partner, accounting for 22.4 percent of Israel's $43.19 billion in imports, and 42.1 percent of Israel's $40.14 billion in exports annually (2005). The U.S. also provides Israel with $2.4 billion in military assistance annually, which is equivalent to 24.5 percent of Israel's military expenditures. (2005).


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Australia was one of the four Commonwealth nations to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution. Australia and Israel established full diplomatic relations in January 1949. Australia has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel likewise in Canberra. In May 2010, the Australian government expelled an Israeli diplomat over the misuse of Australian passports in the assassination of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, which Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said was "not the act of a friend."


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Marshall Islands is one of the most consistent supporters of Israel international affairs, along with the United States, Micronesia and Palau. The Marshall Islands is a country in free association with the United States, and thus consistently vote in favor of the United States.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The Federated States of Micronesia is one of the most consistent supporters of Israel. Throughout the history of the United Nations General Assembly, there has always been an "automatic majority" against Israel. The United States has often voted in favour of Israel and in recent years, one other nation has joined Israel's defense – Micronesia.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: The foreign policy goals of the Micronesia are primarily linked to achieving economic development and protecting their vast marine environment. Israel was one of the first to welcome Micronesia into the family of nations, even before it became a member of the UN. According to Micronesia's U.N. deputy ambassador, the country has since sought close bilateral relations with Israel in areas such as agriculture, technical training and health care training. Israel assisted Micronesia in its early development. As one Micronesian diplomat said, "We need Israeli expertise, so I don't see a change in our policy anytime soon."


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In January 2010, the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, Emanuel Mori, and the President of the Republic of Nauru, Marcus Stephen, with their foreign ministers, visited Israel to expand ties on issues such as healthcare, solar energy, water conservation, clean technologies and other areas in which Israel can provide expertise. They met with Israeli leaders including the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and the Republic of Nauru established official diplomatic relations in 2013 and collaborated on various subjects. Nauru, like other Pacific islands such as the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, is a consistent supporter of Israel in international bodies, including the United Nations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: New Zealand was one of the four Commonwealth nations to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution. Since then, most New Zealand governments have been supportive of Israel. After 53 years of full diplomatic relations, the Israeli Embassy in Wellington closed in 2004 due to $5.4 million in cost-cuts by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. It was speculated that trade with Arab countries were a major factor. In June 2004, the New Zealand Government criticized Israel's policy of bulldozing Palestinian homes and donated $534,000 to aid homeless Palestinians. At one time there were four missions in the South Pacific area in Canberra, Sydney, Wellington and Suva in Fiji. Following the closure, only Canberra remained open, which was responsible for New Zealand-Israeli Relations. In 2009, the Israel Foreign Ministry announced the reopening of the embassy in Wellington.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In mid-2004, two suspected Mossad agents were jailed for three months and paid a $35,000 fine for trying on false grounds to obtain a New Zealand passport. High-level visits between the two countries were cancelled, visa restrictions imposed for Israeli officials, and an expected visit to New Zealand by Israeli president Moshe Katsav was cancelled. More than a year later, Israel apologized and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark announced that it was time to resume friendly diplomatic relations with Israel.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Palau is one of the most consistent supporters of Israel in the United Nations and other international affairs along with the United States, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. In 2006, Palau had the highest voting coincidence with Israel in the United Nations.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel maintains a non-resident embassy to Tuvalu in Jerusalem and Tuvalu has voted together with Israel against UN resolutions furthering Palestinian sovereignty on occasion.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In 1992, three Israeli diplomats were killed in the bombing of the Israeli Embassy which left 29 people dead and 240 wounded. Two years later, another bombing took place at the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and wounding 300. The investigation was never completed. Néstor Kirchner called this a national disgrace, and reopened the files.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In January 2009, Bolivia limited its foreign relationship with Israel in the wake of strikes in Gaza by Israel. Bolivian President Evo Morales has reportedly promised to take Israel to an international court for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza. Bolivia originally granted visa free access to Israeli citizens. However, as a result of Israel's 2014 military operation in Gaza, which it opposed, President Evo Morales declared Israel a "terrorist state" and his government will now require Israeli citizens to obtain a visa to visit Bolivia. Morales has called Israel's treatment of Palestinians "a genocide".


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Following Morales's resignation and fleeing to Mexico in November 2019, relations were restored to their previous status.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Brazil played a large role in the establishment of the State of Israel. Brazil held the Presidency office of the UN General Assembly in 1947, which proclaimed the Partition Plan for Palestine. The Brazilian delegation to the U.N., supported and heavily lobbied for the partition of Palestine toward the creation of the State of Israel. Brazil was also one of the first countries to recognize the State of Israel, on 7 February 1949, less than one year after Israeli Declaration of Independence.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Nowadays, Brazil and Israel maintain close political, economic and military ties. Brazil is a full member state of Israel Allies Caucus, a political advocacy organization that mobilizes pro-Israel parliamentarians in governments worldwide. The two nations enjoy a degree of arms cooperation as Brazil is a key buyer of Israeli weapons and military technology. Also, Brazil is Israel's largest trading partner in Latin America. Israel has an embassy in Brasília and a consulate-general in Sao Paulo and Brazil has an embassy in Tel Aviv and an honorary consulate in Haifa. A longstanding dispute between Israel and Brazil is ongoing over Brazil's official rejection of a new Israeli ambassador because of his ties to the West Bank.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Brazil-Israel relations have improved significantly during the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro since 2019. Brazilian president Bolsonaro has expressed his love for Israel several times. He has even said to have turned Brazil into Israel's new best friend.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In December 2019, Brazil opened a trade office in Jerusalem. Brazil also considered to move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Brazil has the ninth largest Jewish community in the world, about 107,329 by 2010, according to the IBGE census. The Jewish Confederation of Brazil (CONIB) estimates to more than 120,000.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Chile recognized Israel's independence in February 1949. Israel sent its first ambassador to Chile in May 1950, and Chile sent its first ambassador to Israel in June 1952. Prime Minister Golda Meir visited Chile during her term in office. In March 2005, the Chilean minister of foreign affairs Ignacio Walker made an official visit to Israel. Chile is home to the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East, approximately 500,000.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Colombia and Israel established formal relations in the mid-1950s. In recent years, Colombia has purchased planes, drones, weapons and intelligence systems from Israel. An Israeli company, Global CST won a $10 million contract in Colombia.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In September 2018, Paraguay announced that it was moving its embassy in Israel out of Jerusalem and back to Tel Aviv, just months after a previous Paraguayan administration had opened the new mission. The US, Guatemala and Paraguay, all moved their embassies to Jerusalem in May 2018. Paraguay said it had officially recognized the military wings of Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, drawing praise from Israel. President Mario Abdo Benitez made the declaration in an official document in August 2019.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel and Peru established diplomatic relations in 1957. In 1998 the two countries began talks on a free-trade agreement. Israel sent rescue teams and medical aid to Peru after earthquakes in 1970, 2005 and 2007. In 2001, Eliane Karp, a former Israeli, became the First Lady of Peru.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel has an embassy in Montevideo. Uruguay has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 2 honorary consulates in Ashdod and Haifa. Uruguay was one of the first nations to recognise Israel as independent.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Relations were once strong, but the bilateral ties soured under the Presidency of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela. The Jewish population in Venezuela, which peaked at 45,000, is now below 15,000 "as a result of severe instability in the country", according to the Israeli Stephen Roth Institute. "The Miami Herald", "Jewish Times", and Jewish organizations have reported large-scale emigration of Jewish people from Venezuela during the Chávez administration. As a result of the June/July 2006 battles in the Gaza Strip, Venezuela withdrew its ambassador to Israel. The embassy itself remains open and operational Following the Israeli attack on Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009, Venezuela cut its diplomatic ties with Israel. Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez called the attack "genocidal", and urged that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert be tried for war crimes.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israeli foreign aid comprises primarily development assistance and humanitarian aid provided by Israel to foreign countries. Israel provides assistance to developing countries to alleviate and solve economic and social problems through its international cooperation program of technical assistance, based on its own recent and ongoing experience in developing human and material resources. Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, established as an agency of the Israeli Foreign Ministry in 1958 and known by its Hebrew acronym, "MASHAV", is the primary vehicle for providing this aid.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Israel has provided humanitarian assistance to developing countries in Asia, Africa, South America, Oceania, and Central Europe through the activities of Mashav, with the goal to give developing countries the knowledge, tools, and expertise that Israel gained in its own development, and its ability to "make the desert flourish". This center trains course participants from approximately 140 countries on healthcare, as well as emergency and disaster medicine, and has participated in dozens of projects worldwide in fields economic fields such as agriculture, education, development, employment, and healthcare, as well as humanitarian fields such as disaster relief, reconstruction, and refugee absorption.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: In the 1970s, Israel broadened its aid agenda by granting safe haven to refugees and foreign nationals in distress from around the world. Since the 1980s, Israel has also provided humanitarian aid to places affected by natural disasters and terrorist attacks. In 1995, the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Israel Defense Forces established a permanent humanitarian and emergency aid unit, which has carried out humanitarian operations worldwide. In addition to providing humanitarian supplies, Israel has also sent rescue teams and medical personnel and set up mobile field hospitals in disaster-stricken areas worldwide.


title: Foreign relations of Israel

text: Non-government Israeli humanitarian aid organizations, such as IsraAid (The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid), Fast Israeli Rescue and Search Team (FIRST), Israeli Flying Aid (IFA), Save a Child's Heart (SACH) and "Latet" (Hebrew for "to give") provide various types of aid in foreign countries, complementing or in coordination with the official government aid. They provide humanitarian aid such as search and rescue teams to disaster zones, life saving aid to people affected by natural or man-made disasters, medical aid, disease prevention, urgent pediatric heart surgery and follow-up care for children from developing countries, and food aid.


title: Osman II

text: Osman II ( "‘Osmān-i sānī"; ; 3 November 1604 – 20 May 1622), also known as Osman the Young (), was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 26 February 1618 until his regicide on 20 May 1622.


title: Osman II

text: Osman II was born at Topkapı Palace, Constantinople, the son of Sultan Ahmed I (1603–17) and one of his consorts Mahfiruz Hatun. According to later traditions, at a young age, his mother had paid a great deal of attention to Osman's education, as a result of which Osman II became a known poet and was believed to have mastered many languages, including Arabic, Persian, Greek, Latin, and Italian; although this has since been refuted. Osman was born eleven months after his father Ahmed's transition to the throne. He was trained in the palace. According to foreign observers, he was one of the most cultured of Ottoman princes.


title: Osman II

text: Osman's failure to capture the throne at the death of his father Ahmed might have been caused by the absence of a mother to lobby in his favour; his own mother was probably already dead or in exile.


title: Osman II

text: Osman II ascended the throne at the age of 14 as the result of a coup d'état against his uncle Mustafa I "the Intestable" (1617–1618, 1622–1623). Despite his youth, Osman II soon sought to assert himself as a ruler, and after securing the empire's eastern border by signing a peace treaty (Treaty of Serav) with Safavid Persia, he personally led the Ottoman campaign against Poland and King Sigismund III during the Moldavian Magnate Wars. Forced to sign a humiliating peace treaty with the Poles after the Battle of Khotyn (Chocim) in September–October, 1621, Osman II returned home to Constantinople in shame, blaming the cowardice of the Janissaries and the insufficiency of his statesmen for his humiliation.


title: Osman II

text: The basic and exceptional weakness from which Osman II suffered was the conspicuous absence of a female power basis in the harem. From 1620 until Osman's death, a governess ("daye hatun", lit. wet-nurse) was appointed as a stand-in valide, and she could not counterbalance the contriving of Mustafa I's mother in the Old Palace. Although he did have a loyal chief black eunuch at his side, this could not compensate for the absence of what in the politics of that period was a winning combination, valide sultan–chief black eunuch, especially in the case of a young and very ambitious ruler. According to Piterberg, Osman II did not have haseki sultan, opposite with Peirce who claim that Ayşe was Osman's haseki. But it is clear that Ayşe could not take valide's role during her spouse's reign.In the autumn of 1620, Özi Beylerbeyi İskender Pasha seized the secret letter sent by Transylvanian Prince Bethlen Gabor to Istanbul and sent it to Poland, and Osman also became a veteran of the people around him. He decided to embark on a Polish expedition. Continuing preparations for the Polish campaign, neither cold nor famine nor the English ambassador John Eyre could deter Osman. The ambassador of Sigismund III, the King of Poland, was brought into Istanbul despite the severe colds. The janissaries and army were not willing to go on a campaign, regardless of their conditions.


title: Osman II

text: Following the murder of Şehzade Mehmed on 12 January 1621, a severe snow started in Istanbul. The people of Istanbul were drastically affected by the cold, which increased local violence on 24 January, more so than the palace murder. This is the biggest natural disaster that concerns the capital in Osman's four-year short reign. Bostanzade Yahya Efendi, one of those who lived through this cold, tells that the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus were covered with ice in the end of January-beginning of February: "Between Üsküdar and Beşiktaş, the men walk around and go to Üsküdar. They came from Istanbul on foot. And the year became a gala (famine).


title: Osman II

text: It was snowing for 15 days, that the frosts were frozen from the severity of the cold, but that the river was open between Sarayburnu and Üsküdar. For this natural disaster, thirty thousand froze between Üsküdar and Istanbul from the cold," Haşimi Çelebi, "The road became Üsküdar, the Mediterranean froze a thousand thirty". As a result of the inconvenience of the Zahire ships, there was a complete famine in Istanbul, and 75 dirhams of bread jumped to one akche, and the oak of the meat to 15 akches.


title: Osman II

text: Seeking a counterweight to Janissary influence, Osman II closed their coffee shops (the gathering points for conspiracies against the throne) and started planning to create a new and more loyal army consisting of Anatolian sekbans. The result was a palace uprising by the Janissaries, who promptly imprisoned the young sultan in Yedikule Fortress in Istanbul, where Osman II was strangled to death. After Osman's death, his ear was cut off and represented to Halime Sultan and Sultan Mustafa I to confirm his death and Mustafa would no longer need to fear his nephew. It was the first time in the Ottoman history that a sultan was executed by the Janissaries.


title: Osman II

text: This disaster is one of the most discussed topics in Ottoman history. Hasanbegzade, Karaçelebizade, Solakzade, Peçevi, Müneccimbaşı and Naima dates, in the Fezleke of Katip Çelebi, detailed and some of them were narrated in a story style.


title: Bucatini

text: Bucatini (), also known as perciatelli (), are a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center. They are common throughout Lazio, particularly Rome.


title: Bucatini

text: The similar ziti are long hollow rods which are also smooth in texture and have square-cut edges; "cut ziti" are ziti cut into shorter tubes. There is also a wider version of ziti, zitoni .


title: Bucatini

text: The name comes from the Italian "buco", meaning "hole", while "bucato" or its Neapolitan language variant "perciato" means "pierced".


title: Bucatini

text: Bucatini are a tubed pasta made of hard durum wheat flour and water. Its length is with a diameter. The average cooking time is nine minutes.


title: Bucatini

text: In Italian cuisine, bucatini are served with buttery sauces, guanciale, vegetables, cheese, eggs, and anchovies or sardines. One of the most common sauces to serve with bucatini is the Amatriciana sauce, "bucatini all'amatriciana". It is traditionally made with guanciale, a type of cured meat taken from the pork jowl.


title: Bucatini

text: Standard pasta machines will roll out sheets of flat pasta which are then cut into ribbons to make flat, ribbon-style pasta like fettuccine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle. Bucatini, on the other hand, has to be extruded rather than rolled.


title: Bucatini

text: The pasta dough is fed into a machine that forces it through a perforated disk, very similar to a meat grinder. The shape of the pasta depends on the shape of the perforations. Bucatini are made with a disk with tiny circular perforations, which forces the pasta dough to emerge in long tubes. The tubes are then trimmed off to the desired length and then either dried or cooked fresh.


title: Bucatini

text: Bucatini can be made at home with a stand mixer and a pasta extruder. Since bucatini have a hole in the middle, they must be handled gently so as not to squeeze the hole shut prior to eating.


title: Geelong

text: Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: "Djilang"/"Djalang") is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria.


title: Geelong

text: Geelong is the second largest Victorian city (behind Melbourne) with an estimated urban population of 268,277 as of June 2018, and is also Australia's second fastest-growing city. Geelong is also known as the "Gateway City" due to its critical location to surrounding western Victorian regional centres like Ballarat in the northwest, Torquay, Great Ocean Road and Warrnambool in the southwest, Hamilton, Colac and Winchelsea to the west, providing a transport corridor past the Central Highlands for these regions to the state capital Melbourne in its northeast. The City of Greater Geelong is also a member of the Gateway Cities Alliance in partnership with Councils from Newcastle and Wollongong.


title: Geelong

text: Geelong is the administrative centre for the City of Greater Geelong municipality, which is Port Phillip's only regional metropolitan area, and covers all the urban, rural and coastal reserves around the city including the entire Bellarine Peninsula and running from the plains of Lara in the north to the rolling hills of Waurn Ponds to the south, with Corio Bay to the east and the Barrabool Hills to the west.


title: Geelong

text: The traditional owners of the land on which Geelong sits are the Wadawurrung (also known as Wathaurong) Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation. The Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation is the Registered Aboriginal Party for the region. The modern name of Geelong, established in 1827, was derived from the local Wadawurrung name for the region, "Djilang", thought to mean "land", "cliffs" or "tongue of land or peninsula". The area was first surveyed by the European settlers in 1838, three weeks after Melbourne. A town post office was opened by June 1840, the second to open in the Port Phillip District.


title: Geelong

text: The first woolstore was erected in this period and it became the port for the wool industry of the Western District.


title: Geelong

text: During the Victorian gold rush, Geelong experienced a brief boom as the main port to the rich goldfields of the Ballarat district. The town then diversified into manufacturing, and during the 1860s became one of the largest manufacturing centres in Australia with its wool mills, ropeworks, and paper mills. It was proclaimed a city in 1910, with industrial growth from this time until the 1960s establishing the city as a manufacturing centre for the state, and the population grew to over 100,000 by the mid-1960s. During the city's early years, an inhabitant of Geelong was often known as a Geelongite or a "Pivotonian", derived from the city's nickname of "The Pivot", referencing the city's role as a shipping and rail hub for the area. Population increases over the last decade were due to growth in service industries, as the manufacturing sector has declined. Redevelopment of the inner city has occurred since the 1990s, as well as gentrification of inner suburbs, and currently has a population growth rate higher than the national average.


title: Geelong

text: Today, Geelong stands as an emerging healthcare, education and advanced manufacturing center. The city's economy is shifting quickly and despite experiencing the drawbacks of losing much of its heavy manufacturing, it is seeing much growth in other tertiary sectors, positioning itself as one of the leading non-capital Australian cities. It is home to the Geelong Football Club, the second oldest club in the Australian Football League.


title: Geelong

text: The name Geelong comes from "Djilang", used by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners of the area at the time of settlement.


title: Geelong

text: The area of Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula are the traditional lands of the Wadawurrung (Wathaurong) Indigenous Australian tribe. The first non-Indigenous person recorded as visiting the region was Lieutenant John Murray, who commanded the brig . After anchoring outside Port Phillip Heads (the narrow entrance to Port Phillip, onto which both Geelong and Melbourne now front), on 1 February 1802, he sent a small boat with six men to explore. Led by John Bowen, they explored the immediate area, returning to "Lady Nelson" on 4 February. On reporting favourable findings, "Lady Nelson" entered Port Phillip on 14 February, and did not leave until 12 March. During this time, Murray explored the Geelong area and, whilst on the far side of the bay, claimed the entire area for Britain. He named the bay Port King, after Philip Gidley King, then Governor of New South Wales. Governor King later renamed the bay Port Phillip after the first governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip. Arriving not long after Murray was Matthew Flinders, who entered Port Phillip on 27 April 1802. He charted the entire bay, including the Geelong area, believing he was the first to sight the huge expanse of water, but in a rush to reach Sydney before winter set in, he left Port Phillip on 3 May.


title: Geelong

text: In January 1803, Surveyor-General Charles Grimes arrived at Port Phillip in the sloop and mapped the area, including the future site of Geelong, but reported the area was unfavourable for settlement and returned to Sydney on 27 February. In October of the same year, led by Lieutenant Colonel David Collins arrived in the bay to establish the Sullivan Bay penal colony. Collins was dissatisfied with the area chosen, and sent a small party led by First Lieutenant J.H. Tuckey to investigate alternative sites. The party spent 22 to 27 October on the north shore of Corio Bay, where the first Aboriginal death at the hands of a European in Victoria occurred.


title: Geelong

text: The next European visit to the area was by the explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell. They reached the northern edge of Corio Bay – the area of Port Phillip that Geelong now fronts – on 16 December 1824, and it was at this time they reported that the Aboriginals called the area "Corayo", the bay being called "Djillong". Hume and Hovell had been contracted to travel overland from Sydney to Port Phillip, and having achieved this, they stayed the night and began their return journey two days later on 18 December.


title: Geelong

text: The convict William Buckley escaped from the Sullivan Bay settlement in 1803, and lived among the Wadawurrung people for 32 years on the Bellarine Peninsula. In 1835, John Batman used Indented Head as his base camp, leaving behind several employees whilst he returned to Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land) for more supplies and his family. In this same year, Buckley surrendered to the party led by John Helder Wedge and was later pardoned by Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Arthur, and subsequently given the position of interpreter to the natives.


title: Geelong

text: In March 1836, three squatters, David Fisher, James Strachan, and George Russell, arrived on "Caledonia" and settled the area. Geelong was first surveyed by Assistant Surveyor W. H. Smythe three weeks after Melbourne, and was gazetted as a town on 10 October 1838. There was already a church, hotel, store, wool store, and 82 houses, and the town population was 545. By 1841, the first wool had been sent to England and a regular steamer service was running between Geelong and Melbourne. Captain Foster Fyans was commissioned as the local Police Magistrate in 1837 and established himself on the Barwon River at the site of the area of present-day Fyansford. Fyans arranged the first muster of the Indigenous population and 275 Aboriginal people were found to be living in the area. Fyans distributed blankets, sugar and flour to these people but soon ordered his soldiers to "click their triggers" at them when a lack of blankets caused anger. Fyans constructed a breakwater to improve the water supply to the city by preventing the salty lower reaches from mixing with fresh water and pooling water. In 1839, Charles Sievwright, the newly appointed Assistant Protector of Aborigines (for the western district) sets up camp on the Barwon River near Fyans ford.


title: Geelong

text: The Geelong Keys were discovered around 1845 by Governor Charles La Trobe on Corio Bay. They were embedded in the stone in such a way that he believed that they had been there for 100–150 years, possibly dropped by Portuguese explorers. In 1849, Fyans was nominated as the inaugural Mayor of the Geelong Town Council and renowned fly fishing author Alfred Ronalds engraved the town seal. An early settler of Geelong, Alexander Thomson, for which the area of Thomson in Geelong East is named, settled on the Barwon River, and was Mayor of Geelong on five occasions from 1850 to 1858.


title: Geelong

text: Gold was discovered in nearby Ballarat in 1851, causing the Geelong population to grow to 23,000 people by the mid-1850s. To counter this, a false map was issued by Melbourne interests to new arrivals, showing the quickest road to the goldfields as being via Melbourne. The first issue of the "Geelong Advertiser" newspaper was published in 1840 by James Harrison, who also built the world's first ether vapour compression cycle ice-making and refrigeration machine in 1844, later being commissioned by a brewery in 1856 to build a machine that cooled beer.


title: Geelong

text: The Geelong Hospital was opened in 1852, and construction on the Geelong Town Hall commenced in 1855. Development of the Port of Geelong began with the creation of the first shipping channel in Corio Bay in 1853. The Geelong-to-Melbourne railway was built by the Geelong and Melbourne Railway Company in 1857. Rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859 by Thomas Austin, who imported them from England for hunting purposes at his Barwon Park property near Winchelsea. One of Geelong's best-known department stores, Bright and Hitchcocks, was established in 1861, and the HM Prison Geelong built using convict labour, was opened in 1864.


title: Geelong

text: In 1866, Graham Berry started a newspaper, the "Geelong Register", as a rival to the established "Geelong Advertiser". When this proved unsuccessful, he bought the "Advertiser" and made himself editor of the now-merged papers. Using the paper as a platform, he was elected for Geelong West in 1869. In 1877, he switched to Geelong, which he represented until 1886, and served as Victorian Premier in 1875, 1877–1880, and 1880–1881. On the Market Square in the middle of the city, a clock tower was erected in 1856, and an Exhibition Building was opened in 1879.


title: Geelong

text: The gold rush had seen Ballarat and Bendigo grow larger than Geelong in terms of population. Melbourne critics dubbed Geelong 'Sleepy Hollow', a tag that recurred many times in the following years. A number of industries became established in Geelong, including Victoria's first woollen mill at South Geelong in 1868. In 1869, the clipper "Lightning" caught fire at the Yarra Street pier and was cast adrift in Corio Bay to burn, before being sunk by artillery fire. Improvements to transport saw Geelong emerge as the centre of the Western District of Victoria, with railway lines extended towards Colac in 1876, and to Queenscliff in 1879. Construction of the Hopetoun shipping channel began in 1881 and completed in 1893.


title: Geelong

text: The Geelong Cup was first held in 1872, and Victoria's first long-distance telephone call was made from Geelong to Queenscliff on 8 January 1878, only one year after the invention of the device itself. Geelong was also the home of a prosperous wine industry until the emergence of the sap-sucking insect "Phylloxera vastatrix" at Fyansford in 1875, which led to the Victorian Government ordering the destruction of all vines in the Geelong area to prevent the spread of the pest, killing the industry until the 1960s. Between 1886 and 1889, the central business district's major banks and insurance companies erected new premises in a solid and ornate character. The existing Geelong Post Office was built during this time and the Gordon Technical College was established. Further industrial growth occurred, with the Fyansford cement works being established in 1890.


title: Geelong

text: The town became referred to as "The Pivot" in the 1860s, owing to its being a rail and shipping hub for western Victoria.


title: Geelong

text: The town of Geelong officially became a city on 8 December 1910. The city gained a number of essential services, with electric light supplied by the Geelong Power Station starting in 1902, the Geelong Harbour Trust was formed in December 1905, and the Geelong Waterworks and Sewerage Trust formed in 1908. Electric trams began operation in 1912, travelling from the city centre to the suburbs until their demise in 1956. The first of many stores on the Market Square was opened in 1913, and the first Gala Day festival was held in 1916.


title: Geelong

text: Geelong's industrial growth accelerated in the 1920s: woollen mills, fertiliser plants, the Ford Motor Company's vehicle plant at Norlane, and the Corio whisky distillery were all established in this period. The "Geelong Advertiser" radio station 3GL (now K-Rock) commenced transmission in 1930, the Great Ocean Road was opened in 1932, and in 1934, the T & G Building opened on the most prominent intersection in the city, the corner of Ryrie and Moorabool Streets.


title: Geelong

text: In 1938, one of the last Port Philip Bay steamers, "Edina", made its final trip to Geelong, ending a period of seaside excursions and contests for the fastest trip. The Eastern Beach foreshore beautification and pool was completed in 1939 after almost 10 years of work.


title: Geelong

text: On the eve of World War II, the International Harvester works were opened beside Ford at North Shore, along with a grain elevator at nearby Corio Quay, and the Shell Australia oil refinery.