The historical and ideological roots of this international relationship, which would prove crucial for the establishment of Israel in 1948, can be traced back to the early 19th century, and the emerging Czech-Jewish alliance in Prague. By 1938, virtually all groups of Jews in the Bohemian Lands, Czech assimilationists, German liberals, and Zionists, were closely attached to the Czechoslovak government and integrated in the centre-left elite of the country (but excluded from the right). The links between T.G. Masaryk and Zionist circles in Prague and beyond, mark the crucial node that would lead to Czechoslovak military assistance to the nascent Israeli state around 1948.[1]
After this peak, Czechoslovakia-Israel relations deteriorated, and the two countries did not have diplomatic relations during most of the Communist rule in Czechoslovakia. However, after the Velvet Revolution and dissolution of Czechoslovakia the countries re-established contact, and the Czech Republic is now one of Israel's closest allies, frequently demonstrating strong support for Israel at the United Nations and within the European Union.[1]
In March 2021, the Czech Republic opened a diplomatic office in Jerusalem.[2]
History
Israeli relations with Czechoslovakia
The founder of Czechoslovakia, President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, had close relations with Jews and the Zionist Movement. In 1920 he became the first statesman to visit the first Jewish kibbutz in Mandatory Palestine.[1]:50
Czechoslovakia was one of 33 countries to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution recommending the establishment of a Jewish state, and was among the first countries to recognize the State of Israel, which it did on May 18, 1948, four days after Israel's declaration of independence.[3] Diplomatic relations between the countries were established on July 3, 1948, four months after the Communists seized power in Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia supported the newly created state for several months with military aircraft and weapons. However the Communist government later ceased this support and after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War diplomatic relations were broken.[1]
Following the 1989 Velvet Revolution, diplomatic relations were re-established between Israel and the newly democratic Czechoslovakia.
Israeli relations with the Czech Republic
After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, diplomatic relations were established between Israel and the two successor states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In December 2008 the Czech Air Force wanted to train in desert conditions for the upcoming mission in Afghanistan, and Israel offered their desert areas for this purpose, to thank the Czechs for training Israeli pilots when the country was first established.[4]
In a United Nations General Assembly vote on 29 November 2012, the Czech Republic was the only European country to vote with Israel against upgrading the status of Palestine to a "non-member observer state".[7]
During a visit to Prague in May 2012, Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu said that Israel had "no better friend in Europe than the Czech Republic".[8] During a visit to Israel in November 2014, Czech Foreign MinisterLubomír Zaorálek claimed that Czech media and society viewed Israel as "a trusted friend, a vibrant democracy, and an economic and technological powerhouse", adding that the Czech Republic had one of the lowest levels of anti-Semitism in Europe.[9] In 2015, Israel Foreign Affairs MinisterMoshe Arens described Czech-Israel relations as "excellent", and the best of all nations in the European Union.[10]
In December 2015 the Czech Parliament refused to implement European Union guidelines to label Israeli products originating from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. Czech lawmakers described the rules as anti-Semitic, and discrimination against "the only democracy in the Middle East". Israel's ambassador Gary Koren thanked the parliament for its decision.[11]
In October 2016 Czech Parliament passed a motion condemning a UNESCO resolution on Palestine which omitted reference to the Jewish heritage of the Western Wall and other historical sites in Jerusalem,[12] with deputies accusing UNESCO of antisemitism and describing the resolution as "hateful" during the parliamentary discussion.[13]Ofir Akunis, Israeli Minister of Science, Technology and Space, thanked the Czech Parliament and the country, describing it as a "heroic act" and reaffirming the close relationship between the countries.[14]
In May 2017 the Chamber of Deputies passed a non-binding resolution condemning another UNESCO resolution critical of Israel, and calling on the Czech government to advocate recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The resolution also called for the Czech Republic to withhold its annual funding to UNESCO.[15]
On 22 October 2019, the Chamber of Deputies passed a non-binding resolution "condemn[ing] all activities and statements by groups calling for a boycott of the State of Israel, its goods, services or citizens." The resolution was introduced by Jan Bartošek, leader of the Populars caucus in the chamber.[16]
On 11 March 2021, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš opened the Czech diplomatic office in Jerusalem, the second European Union country to do so, after Hungary.[17]
In July 2022, Israeli President Isaac Herzog made a state visit to the Czech Republic. At Prague Castle, President Herzog awarded the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor to Czech President Miloš Zeman, hailing his Czech counterpart’s "deep friendship with the Jewish People, his consistent support for Israel on the international stage, and his 'zero tolerance' policy toward terrorism and antisemitism."[18]
On 25 October 2023, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala made a visit to Israel where he expressed the Czech Republic's support for Israel following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Herzog.[19] Earlier that month, he had proposed accelerating the move of the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.[20] Prime Minister Netanyahu had an official visit to the Czech Republic planned for early October, accompanied by ministers of his cabinet, which was cancelled due to the attacks.[21]
In January 2024, Czech President Petr Pavel made a two-day visit to Israel in light of the ongoing 2023 Israel–Hamas war. During the visit, President Pavel met with Israeli officials including Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Herzog, where he expressed support for Israel while also stating concerns over humanitarian aid and civilian casualties in Gaza.[22]
In May 2024, Czech Republic was one of the nine countries which voted against Palestine's UN membership. Czech Republic is considered to be one of Israel's closest allies in Europe.[23]
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