Bilateral Relations
The beginning of Czech-Israeli relationship goes back to the time before the foundation of the State of Israel. In spring 1927 the he Czechoslovak president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk visited British Mandate Palestine, where he devoted to extra days to getting acquainted with the local Jewish communities and the Zionist Project.
After the World War II Czechoslovakia became the strongest supporter of the State of Israel. In 1947 the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Masaryk openly supported the idea of an independent Jewish state in the UN. The Czechoslovak government recognized the State of Israel on May 19, 1948, only 5 days after its Declaration of Independence. The diplomatic relations were established on July 3, 1948. The newly founded state, which came into conflict with its Arab neighbors, was then supported by the Czechoslovakia with deliveries of military equipment and weapons.
The communist government, however, terminated this support and adapted its relationships with the countries of Middle East to the policy of the former USSR. In this sense Czechoslovakia interrupted diplomatic relations with the State of Israel on June 10, 1967 after the Six-Day War.
The resumption of diplomatic relations occurred after the fall of communist regime in Czechoslovakia on February 9, 1990. Nowadays the bilateral relationship is on top level again, as evidenced by the high frequency of political contacts, increasing dynamics of economic exchange and the rich network of activities at non-governmental level.
The Czech Republic has an Embassy in Tel Aviv, Honorary Consulate General in Haifa, Honorary Consulate in Jerusalem and Honorary Consulate in Eilat.
