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 Israel |  Kazakhstan |
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Israel–Kazakhstan relations refers to thecurrent and historical relations between theState of Israel and theRepublic of Kazakhstan. The countries established diplomatic relations on April 10, 1992. The embassy of Israel inAstana, Kazakhstan opened in August 1992. The embassy of Kazakhstan inTel Aviv, Israel opened in May 1996. In 2004, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Israel-Kazakhstan was established in Israel in order to develop and expand trade and economic relations.
The Kazakhstan Secretary of State met with Moshe Kamkhy, Israel's ambassador to Uzbekistan in August 2004 to discuss social and economic ties between the countries and moving the Israeli Embassy to Astana.
The two countries maintain close contacts in the defense and intelligence sector.[1] Ninety-five Kazakh farmers, managers, and scientists have trained in Israel.[2]
In April 2009, Kazakhstan'sNational Security Committee claimed that the country's Ministry of Defense knowingly bought faulty artillery and defense systems from Israeli weapons manufacturers. Kazhimurat Mayermanov, a deputy defense minister, and Boris Sheinkman, an Israeli businessman, were arrested in connection with the case.[1]
In June 2009, Israeli PresidentShimon Peres visited Kazakhstan, as he had a number of times as foreign minister.[3]
Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu attended the Kazakh-Israeli business forum in Astana in December 2016.[4] Netanyahu's visit to Kazakhstan was the first by an Israeli head of government.[4]
Some Israeli commentators have signaled that Israel's relations with theCentral Asian states, including Kazakhstan, are part of the country's involvement in "The Great Game" for control over the strategic natural resources in Central Asia.[3] In a similar vein, theIslamic Republic of Iran both publicly fumed about and privately tried to cancel Kazakhstan's ties to Israel, to no avail; Iran had earlier tried and failed to have the newly independent former-USSR Muslim majority states ally with them instead of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. in the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union, and their anti-Israel moves have been fairly similar in both style and results.[citation needed]
Over 25% of Israel's oil purchases are from Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan is seeking to increase oil sales to Israel.[5]
Israel and Kazakhstan launched the Israel-Kazakhstan Irrigation Demonstration Center in theAlmaty region. Israel, Kazakhstan Launch Joint Irrigation Project in Almaty Region|url In 2004, Israel established the Israel-Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce in order to develop and expand trade and economic relations. The Chairmen Chamber of Commerce Israel-Kazakhstan - Michael Roee.
On September 27, 2023, Michael Roee, the Chairman of the Israel-Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce, took a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between Israel and Kazakhstan by presenting the prospects of applying Israel's advanced expertise in the development of the agricultural sector and water resource management to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Alikhan Smailov.
During the meeting, key topics such as improving irrigation efficiency, water conservation, the introduction of cutting-edge drip irrigation technologies, the advancement of agricultural science, and innovative approaches in livestock farming, milk production, and poultry farming were thoroughly discussed.
The Prime Minister expressed Kazakhstan’s interest in leveraging Israeli technologies to enhance the nation’s agricultural sector, stating, “We are open to exploring Israeli technologies and are ready to incorporate them to boost the development of our agriculture. Issues of irrigation and water conservation are also highly relevant. We aim to improve the efficiency of state investments and are focused on achieving tangible results.”
This event marked a pivotal moment in the collaboration between the two nations, paving the way for sustainable agricultural practices and innovative water management solutions.
Kazakhstan's Jewish population surged dramatically whenStalin exiled thousands of Jews from the formerPale of Settlement. An additional 8,500 Jews escaped during the Second World War and fled toKazakhstan.[6] Since 1989, approximately 10,000 Kazakh Jews have relocated to Israel.[7]
The Beit Rachel synagogue in Astana, opened in 2004, is the largest in Central Asia.[8]
In 1999, all of Kazakhstan's Jewish communities were brought together under the All-Kazakhstan Jewish Congress. The country's first synagogue was opened in 2001 byChabad Lubavitch, and a community center featuring a Jewish day school and summer camps, was also set up.[6]
Today, Kazakhstan's Jewish community of 3,300 has more than 20 Jewish organizations and 14 day schools.[7] Over 700 Jewish students attend 14 Jewish day schools across the country andThe Jewish Agency for Israel also sponsors several youth centers across the country where Jewish teens are taught Jewish culture andHebrew.[6]
The Jewish community of Kazakhstan continues its cultural heritage. In 2007, a youth dance and vocal group Prahim was created in Almaty.[9] The highlight of Prahim's repertoire is the popularYiddish song, "Bei Mir Bistu Shein", which the band performs in four languages: Kazakh, Russian, Yiddish and Hebrew.[9] In October 2014 the group performed several concerts in Boston and New York City.[9] A reciprocal visit by American Jewish youth performers to Kazakhstan was planned for spring 2015.[9]
In September 2016, the central synagogue in Almaty held the twelfth Torah scroll introduction ceremony. It was a tribute to RabbiLevi Yitzchak Schneerson, the Lubavitch Rebbe's father, after which the Jewish centre of Kazakhstan, Chabad Lubavitch, was named.[10]
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