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 Czech Republic |  Israel |
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Relations betweenIsrael and theCzech Republic, and its predecessor stateCzechoslovakia, have varied widely over time.
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 betweenT.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 theCommunist rule in Czechoslovakia. However, after theVelvet Revolution anddissolution 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 theUnited Nations and within theEuropean Union.[1]
In March 2021, the Czech Republic opened a diplomatic office inJerusalem.[2]
The founder of Czechoslovakia, PresidentTomáš Garrigue Masaryk, had close relations with Jews and the Zionist Movement. In 1920 he became the first statesman to visit the first Jewishkibbutz inMandatory Palestine.[1]:50
Czechoslovakia was one of 33 countries to vote in favour of the1947 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 18 May 1948, four days after Israel'sdeclaration of independence.[3] Diplomatic relations between the countries were established on 3 July 1948, four months after theCommunists seized power in Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia supported the newly created state for several months withmilitary aircraft and weapons. However the Communist government later ceased this support and after the1967 Arab-Israeli War diplomatic relations were broken.[1]
Following the 1989Velvet Revolution, diplomatic relations were re-established between Israel and the newly democratic Czechoslovakia.
After thedissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, diplomatic relations were established between Israel and the two successor states, the Czech Republic andSlovakia.
In December 2008 theCzech 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]
The current Czech government is one of Israel's closest allies.[5] After the2010 Gaza flotilla raid theCzech Republic expressed its support forIsrael.President of the SenatePřemysl Sobotka visited Israel on 2 June 2010 and addressed the IsraeliKnesset, describing the flotilla as a planned provocation designed to entrap Israel.[citation needed] Sobotka met withKnesset SpeakerReuven Rivlin and expressed support for the classification ofHamas as a terrorist organization.[6]
In aUnited 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 toPrague in May 2012, IsraeliPrime 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 theEuropean Union.[10]
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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 aUNESCO resolution on Palestine which omitted reference to the Jewish heritage of theWestern 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, theChamber 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 byJan Bartošek, leader of thePopulars caucus in the chamber.[16]
On 11 March 2021, Czech Prime MinisterAndrej Babiš opened the Czech diplomatic office in Jerusalem, the second European Union country to do so, after Hungary.[17]
In July 2022, Israeli PresidentIsaac Herzog made a state visit to the Czech Republic. AtPrague Castle, President Herzog awarded theIsraeli Presidential Medal of Honor to Czech PresidentMiloš 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 andantisemitism."[18]
On 25 October 2023, Czech Prime MinisterPetr Fiala made a visit to Israel where he expressed the Czech Republic's support for Israel following theOctober 7 attacks, 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 PresidentPetr Pavel made a two-day visit to Israel in light of the ongoingGaza 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 inGaza.[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] In 2024, Fiala called theICC arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu "appalling and unacceptable."[24]
Prime Minister Fiala described the Czech Republic as "Israel’s voice in Europe" and systematically opposed UN and European Union resolutions that criticized Israel's actions or soughtsanctions against Israel.[24] Czecharms exports to Israel doubled between 2022 and 2024 under thegovernment of Petr Fiala.[24] In September 2025, the Italian port of Ravenna blocked the shipment of weapons to Israel, which likely originated from the Czech Republic.[25]
The Czech Republic has an embassy inTel Aviv and 3 honorary consulates (inHaifa,Jerusalem andRamat Gan). Israel has an embassy inPrague. Both countries are full members of theUnion for the Mediterranean.[26]
Trade between Israel and the Czech Republic is influenced by the EU-Israel Free Trade Agreement of 1995.[27][28]
 Israel imports
|  Czech Republic imports
| Total trade value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 847.7 | 199.6 | 1047.3 |
| 2022 | 857 | 176 | 1033 |
| 2021 | 826.1 | 154.9 | 981 |
| 2020 | 670 | 123.9 | 793.9 |
| 2019 | 698.7 | 135.4 | 834.1 |
| 2018 | 660.6 | 184.1 | 844.7 |
| 2017 | 572.8 | 143.9 | 716.7 |
| 2016 | 612.4 | 130.9 | 743.3 |
| 2015 | 469.8 | 127 | 596.8 |
| 2014 | 607 | 168.1 | 775.1 |
| 2013 | 534.7 | 148.6 | 683.3 |
| 2012 | 516.5 | 172.3 | 688.8 |
| 2011 | 389.2 | 158.1 | 547.3 |
| 2010 | 268.1 | 149.9 | 418 |
| 2009 | 188 | 132.3 | 320.3 |
| 2008 | 165.6 | 161.6 | 327.2 |
| 2007 | 136.4 | 132.6 | 269 |
| 2006 | 111.5 | 107.3 | 218.8 |
| 2005 | 96.6 | 65.5 | 162.1 |
| 2004 | 104.1 | 72.9 | 177 |
| 2003 | 76.8 | 53.7 | 130.5 |
| 2002 | 75.8 | 42.2 | 118 |
In 1996, Israel and the Czech Republic abolished the need for visas for each others' citizens to travel, and both offer working holiday visas.[37][38][39]
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourists formCzech Republic Arriving to | 31,100 | 20,300 | 3,100 | 8,200 | 32,400 | 31,700 | 24,300 | 15,900 | 14,200 | 16,800 | 15,000 | 13,800 |
| Tourists formIsrael Arriving to | 117,368 | 141,263 | 74,926 | 22,249 | 161,217 | 162,774 | 183,948 | 168,638 | 140,643 | 116,390 | 104,542 | 93,510 |
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see also:Foreign relations of Czechoslovakia | ||
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