Foreign relations of Israel refers to diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other countries around the world. Israel has diplomatic ties .Israel's diplomatic missions abroad: status of relations, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This source lists diplomatic relations with 156 UN member states, in addition to the Holy See, the Cook Islands and Niue. Not included in the list are the recent resumption or establishment of diplomatic relations with five UN member states (Bahrain, Bolivia, Guinea, Nicaragua and the United Arab Emirates), in addition to Kosovo. Israel is a member of the United Nations (UN) and a number of other international organisations. Israel maintains full diplomatic relations with two of its Arab neighbours, Egypt and Jordan, after signing peace treaties in 1979 and 1994 respectively. In 2020, Israel signed agreements establishing diplomatic relations with three Arab League countries, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco. As of 2021, Israel had formal diplomatic relations with 168 countries, while 28 UN member states have either never established, or have broken off diplomatic relations with Israel. Since the publication of this document, Mauritania and Venezuela severed relations with Israel, and Bahrain, Chad, Guinea and the United Arab Emirates resumed or established relations.
Israel's foreign relations are influenced primarily by Israel's strategic situation in the Middle East, the broader Arab–Israeli conflict and the conflict with Iran particularly over Iran's nuclear program, along with the rejection by regional states. Israel's foreign policy goals have therefore been to overcome diplomatic isolation and to achieve recognition and friendly relations with as many nations as possible, both in the Middle East region and further afield. Israel practices both open and secret diplomacy to further national goals, for example, commercial trade and science and technology cooperation, importing raw materials, engaging in military procurement as well as exporting arms and military assistance, intelligence cooperation with its allies, and prisoner-of-war exchanges and other arrangements for hostage releases. It has also sought to foster increased Jewish immigration to Israel and to protect vulnerable Jewish communities in the Diaspora, to offer aid to developing countries and humanitarian assistance to countries facing large-scale disasters.
Israel's close friendship with the United States has been a linchpin of its foreign policy since the establishment of the state. Until the Iranian Revolution and the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979, Israel and Iran maintained close ties. Iran was the second Muslim-majority country to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation after Turkey. In the mid-20th century, Israel ran extensive foreign aid and educational programs in Africa, sending experts in agriculture, water management and health care. China is also one of the few countries in the world to concurrently maintain warm relations with both Israel and the Muslim world at large.
During the 2000s, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that the increasing influence of the European Union would further isolate Israel in global affairs. In the wake of a series of diplomatic rifts with Turkey and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in 2011, Israel had increasingly unfriendly relations with those countries for a few years. During roughly the same period, Israeli relations with many countries in Europe including Greece and Cyprus in the context of the Energy Triangle and in Asia, including China and India, were enhanced, largely on account of the growth of Israel's high-tech economy. Israeli ties with Egypt have improved since the Muslim Brotherhood was removed from power there, while ties to Turkey have been uneven since their 2010 nadir.
Membership in international organizations
The first international organization which the Israeli government joined was the International Wheat Council, established as part of Point Four Program in early 1949. Israel has been a member of the United Nations since 11 May 1949.
Israel is a member of many UN agencies, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Israel also participates in other international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).Government, International Organizations (countriesquest.com) Israel left the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a coordinated move with the US in 2019.
Within the UNESCO, Israel was a member in many international programs and organizations. In the area of science, Israel was an active member of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the International Hydrological Programme (IHP), the International Centre for Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science Applications in the Middle East (SESAME), and the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP).
Other notable organizations Israel is an active member of include the Education For All movement, the European Centre for Higher Education (CEPES), the World Heritage Committee (WHC), the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). Relations were carried out through the Israeli National Commission for UNESCO.
Israel joined the European Union's Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP) in 1994, and is a member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). It is also a member of the Bank for International Settlement (BIS) since 2003.
On 10 May 2010, Israel was invited to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Israel is a member of NATO's Mediterranean Dialogue forum. In 2014 Israel joined the Paris Club.
After over 50 years of not being part of a regional grouping in the UN (effectively shut out of many internationals organizations), Israel joined the Western European and Others group on a temporary basis in 2000. Israel joined on a permanent basis in 2014.
Diplomatic relations
After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Israel was subjected to Arab League boycotts and attempts to diplomatically isolate the state. As of 2025, Israel has diplomatic ties , as well as with the Holy See, Kosovo, the Cook Islands, Niue and Somaliland. Some other countries recognize Israel as a state, but have no diplomatic relations. Several countries once had diplomatic relations with Israel, but have since broken or suspended them (Cuba and Venezuela in Latin America, Mauritania in the Arab League, Mali and Niger in non-Arab Africa, the Maldives in South Asia, and Iran until the Islamic revolution). In addition, a number of countries (all members of the Arab League) that at one time had formal economic ties (primarily trade offices) with Israel, which fell short of full diplomatic relations, subsequently severed such ties (Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Tunisia; however, Morocco renewed ties and established diplomatic relations in 2020).
List List of countries which Israel maintains diplomatic relations with: #CountryDate1— (suspended)2345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334— (suspended)35— (suspended)3637383940414243444546474849505152— (suspended)53545556575859606162636465— (suspended)666768697071727374757677787980— (suspended)81828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106— (suspended)107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145—146147148149150151152153— (suspended)154155156—157158159160161———
No diplomatic relations
Member states of the United Nations As of 2025, 30 United Nations member states do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel (period of former relations marked in parentheses): Africa: Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Libya, Mali (1960–1973), Mauritania (1999–2009),Qatar, Mauritania cut Israel ties Al Jazeera. Date: Friday, 16 January 2009 Niger (1960–1973, 1996–2002), Somalia, Tunisia (trade relations 1996–2000) (Algeria, Libya, and Somalia "Somalia does not recognise Israel, and generally sides with the Arab cause in the Near Eastern controversy." do not recognise Israel) Americas: Belize (1985–2023), Cuba (1950–1973),enduring alliance with the Palestine Liberation Organization. Nicaragua (1948–2024), Venezuela (1950–2009) East Asia: North Koreanon-Muslim country, enduring alliance with the Palestine Liberation Organization. (does not recognise Israel as a state) Middle East: Iran (1948–1951, 1953–1979), Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman (trade relations 1996–2000), Qatar (trade relations 1996–2009), Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen (Iran,Iran Says Israel Stops Its Aid Ship To Gaza – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty © 2009, Iran recognised Israel and had ties with it prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen do not recognise Israel as a state) South and Central Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Maldives (1965–1974),As regime changes in Maldives, Israel loses a rare Muslim ally, The Times of Israel, 14 February 2012. Pakistan (Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan do not recognise Israel as a state) Southeast Asia: Brunei, Indonesia,Israel alarm at UN force members, BBC Malaysia (none of these countries recognise Israel)
Despite the lack of diplomatic relations, some of these countries accept Israeli passports and acknowledge other indications of Israeli sovereignty.
Other states
Israel has no diplomatic relations with the following states or entities: Taiwan (Republic of China), which recognizes Israel, but does not officially conduct relations (though there are unofficial relations) because of Israel's recognition of the People's Republic of China. Other states with limited recognition: Abkhazia, Northern Cyprus, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, South Ossetia, Transnistria (Israel has not recognised the independence of any of these entities) Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Limited relations Comoros has no official diplomatic ties with Israel but the countries engage in mutual trade.
Israeli citizens are admitted into North Korea with Israeli passports, but like other foreign visitors they are asked to deposit their passport with the local authorities and use specially issued local documents for tourists.A report in Hebrew by Sarah Ozacky-Lazar about her visit to the Kumgang County, Haaretz, 17 November 2006
North Africa and Middle East
On 1 October 1994, the Persian Gulf states announced their support for a review of the Arab boycott, abolishing the secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel.
Algeria
Algeria and Israel presently do not have diplomatic relations.
In the mid-1990s, while Israel and North African states slowly established diplomatic relations, Algeria remained one of the last countries to consider such a move. It was only when Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak met Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika at the funeral of King Hassan II of Morocco on 25 July 1999 that comments about rapprochement were made.
Bahrain