Estonia–Israel relations

Estonia	Israel

Estonia–Israel relations are foreign relations betweenEstonia andIsrael.

Israel recognized Estonia on 4 September 1991 and diplomatic relations were established on 9 January 1992. The Estonian embassy in Israel was opened in November 2009 by theEstonian Minister of Foreign AffairsUrmas Paet.^[1] The Israeli ambassador toFinland serves also as the ambassador to Estonia, as the Israeli embassy sits inHelsinki, Israel also have honorary consul inTallinn. Estonian nationals and Israeli nationals can visit each other without visa.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and Estonia declared independence, Israel was among the first nations to recognize Estonia's independence in 1991.^[2]

On 16 November 2000 Estonia and Israel signed agreement on abolition of the visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, service and ordinary passports which entered into force on 7 October 2001.^[3]

Estonia adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism^[4] and Estonia is one of the countries to boycott Durban IV Conference in 2021.^[5]

After the massacre of 7 October made by Hamas, the Estonian parliament condemned the massacre with 78 votes in favor and none opposed.^[6] The Estonian police arrested five who distribute antisemitic and pro-Hamas leaflets in Tallinn on 7 November.^[7] In 2024 Estonia suspended funding to UNRWA due to Hamas links accusations.^[8]

On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuedarrest warrants for two senior Israeli officials,Benjamin Netanyahu, thePrime Minister of Israel, andYoav Gallant, the formerMinister of Defense of Israel, Foreign MinisterMargus Tsahkna acknowledged the arrest warrants and Estonia's obligations as a state party to the ICC, but also voiced scepticism that the order would contribute to "a lasting peace in the Middle East."^[9]

On13March 1994 Estonia and Israel signed an Protection on investment agreements which entered into force on 22 May 1995,^[10]{{ and on 29 June 2009 Estonia and Israel signed an Avidness double taxation agreement which entered into force on31December 2009.^[11]

Israel and Estonia trade is also influenced by the EU - Israel Free Trade Agreement from 1995.^[12][13]

Estonia - Israel trade in millions USD-$[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]
	Israel imports Estonia exports	Estonia imports Israel exports	Total trade value
2023	64.1	16.9	81
2022	69.4	12.6	82
2021	64.3	17.3	81.6
2020	72.3	8.7	81
2019	87	9.7	96.7
2018	66.6	12	78.6
2017	56.9	9.2	66.1
2016	52.2	9.7	61.9
2015	58.2	11.6	69.8
2014	89.9	16.9	106.8
2013	69.6	17.7	87.3
2012	48.3	15.9	64.2
2011	56.4	13.5	69.9
2010	46.1	10.3	56.4
2009	35.8	7.6	43.4
2008	46.2	13.7	59.9
2007	26.3	16.6	42.9
2006	22.2	13.9	36.1
2005	23.4	8.8	32.2
2004	25.1	4	29.1
2003	16.1	5.2	21.3
2002	15.6	1.9	17.5

The Israeli defense industry is popular among the Estonian military, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Estonia bought in 2019 the Israeli Rafael-made Spike LR Missiles, anti-tank guided missiles for €40 million.^[21] In 2023 Estonia ordered from the Israel Aerospace Industries in a 100M€ deal.^[2] In September 2023 Israel delivered Estonia 1000 new Negev NG7 machine guns of the Israel Weapon Industries (IWI).^[22] In 2024 Estonia received the Blue Spear an Israeli and Singaporean mobile anti-ship missile system.^[23]

On 12 July 1993 Estonia and Israel signed an agreement on cultural, educational, and scientific cooperation which was entered into force on 4 August 1998.

Since 2014 MustonenFest Tallinn – Tel Aviv which was founded by Andres Mustonen is taking place every year and has become a major annual cultural exchange event for both Estonia and Israel. The MustonenFest mostly focus on classical, jazz and world music.^{[24][better source needed][1]}

In December 2024 the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) decided to cut ties with the Israeli Shenkar College, decision which was criticized and made the rector of the Estonian Academy of Arts to review the decision.^[25][26][27]

In 1939 there were about 4,500 living in Estonia, mostly in Tallinn. Other communities existed in artu, Valga, Parnu, Narva, Viljandi, Rakvere, Voru, and Nomme.^[28]According the World Jewish Congress in 2023 there are almost 2,000 Jews living in Estonia.^[29] In 1990 the Jewish School in Tallinn was re-opened. In 2007 a new Synagogue was opened in Tallinn. In 2008 the Estonian Jewish Museum was opened.^[30]

• History of the Jews in Estonia
• Foreign relations of Estonia
• Foreign relations of Israel

• Estonian Embassy in Tel Aviv
• Israeli Embassy in Helsinki serving also Estonia
• Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on Israel

• Estonia–Israel relations
• Bilateral relations of Estonia
• Bilateral relations of Israel

• CS1 Estonian-language sources (et)
• CS1 Hebrew-language sources (he)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• All articles lacking reliable references
• Articles lacking reliable references from September 2025