 | |
 Israel |  Peru |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Israel, Lima | Embassy of Peru, Tel Aviv |
Israel–Peru relations are foreign relations and diplomatic ties between theState of Israel and theRepublic of Peru. They established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1958.[1] Israel has an embassy inLima. Peru has an embassy inTel Aviv. Both countries are members of theWorld Trade Organitation and theUnited Nations.
Prior to the establishment of a Jewish state, aJewish community existed in Peru, dating back to theSpanish conquest of the Inca Empire. The original community virtually disappeared as a result of thePeruvian Inquisition, although therubber boom in thePeruvian Amazon led to the immigration of a number ofSephardic Jews starting in 1880. This community again grew during the early 20th century and aroundWorld War II. On June 27, 1945, the "Pro-Hebrew Palestine" committee was established, headed byJosé Gálvez Barrenechea and composed of people such asLuis E. Valcárcel andCésar Miró, among others.[2]
Peru was part of theUnited Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP), represented byAlberto Ulloa Sotomayor [es]. The committeerecommended that theBritish Mandate be partitioned intotwo states, withJerusalem being placed under international administration. Nevertheless, theState of Israel wasdeclared independent in 1948, and Peru recognised the new state on February 9, 1949.[3]
Starting in 1950, the Jewish community in Peru became strongly interested inZionism. Marcos Roitman, an ardent Jewish-Peruvian Zionist, was nominated ashonorary consul of Israel in 1951, inaugurating the consulate atColmena Avenue in late 1953.[4][5][6]
Relations between both states were formally established and thus elevated to legation level in 1956, and to embassy level in 1958, with Tuvia Arazi serving as Israel's first ambassador to Peru.[4] Despite the number of conflicts involving Israel, relations have not been severed since their establishment, and Peru has contributed to severalUnited Nations peacekeeping operations in the region.[7]
In 1998, Israel and Peru agreed to talks on establishing free trade between the two countries.[8]
During the devastating earthquakes that have hit Peru (1970,2005,2007), Israel was the first country to send help. Israel sent the distinguishedIsrael Defense Forces Unit 669 Search and Rescue unit, along with members of the IDF medical corp which set up a field hospital.[9][10]
In 2001,Eliane Karp, a former Israeli, became First Lady of Peru.[11]
In 2011, former chief of staff of the Peruvian Armed Forces, General Francisco Contreras said, "We definitely need to be concerned with the growing presence ofIran inSouth America. It appears that Iranian organizations provide support to other terrorist organizations, and that there is cooperation between them. There is something strange in the relationshipChavez has forged with Iran, as is the presence of the Iranian defense minister in Bolivia on a recent visit." According to Contreras, countries like Israel and Peru need to increase cooperation to combat the growing terrorist threat.[12]
High-level visit from Israel to Peru
High-level visit from Peru to Israel
Bilateral trade was $37 million in 1997.[needs update] $31 million coming from Israeli exports to Peru. Israeli exports to Peru rose 71.5% in the first quarter of 1998 compared with the same period in the previous year. Israeli exports consisted of machinery and plastics. Israel imports food, beverages and tobacco from Peru.[8][needs update]
Israel's defense ties with Peru go back several decades, and in recent years include the sale of Rafael's Spike anti-tank missile to the Peruvian army, as well as Israeli drones to its air force. In 2009, the government of Peru signed a $9 million deal with Global CST, a defense-consulting firm based in Petah Tikva, run by former IDF general Yisrael Ziv. Peruvian General Contreras said he decided to hire Ziv's company to help train the military how to combat terrorists from theSendero Luminoso (Shining Path) Maoist organization.
According to Contreras, Ziv's company focused on training elite forces for special counterterror operations, strengthening Peruvian intelligence networks, and assisting security forces in working together to kill or capture Sendero Luminoso members. Contreras said that despite pressure from the US not to hire a private company, the combination of assistance from the US Military and Ziv's company turned the tide in Peru's war on terror, and that "The combination brought a major change, and our military became more offensive and took the battle to the terrorists, instead of always being on the defensive."
In May 2013, Peru's Minister of Agriculture, Milton von Hesse, held talks with his Israeli counterpartYair Shamir to strengthen cooperation in agriculture and implement projects. Von Hesse said that Israel has developed a modern agricultural technology to address the problems caused by deserts, and Peru is eager to learn from their experience, and therefore achieve efficient water management in arid areas.[15]
Inauguración del Consulado de Israel. Ubicado en Colmena 323, Dpto. 407. (Lima 25-12-1953).
El 25 de Noviembre de 1953, se realizó la ceremonia de apertura de las oficinas del Consulado de Israel en Lima, en la calle Colmena 672, 4to. piso, izándose la bandera de Israel.
It's been only five years since Eliane Karp-Toledo, a former Israeli, became First Lady of Peru, but in that time period her life has changed completely.
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