Israel–Nepal relations
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Israel–Nepal relations refer to the bilateral ties between the State of Israel and
Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
. The two countries established diplomatic relations on 1 June 1960, making Nepal the third country in South Asia to recognize Israel behind Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, and the first South Asian state to establish full bilateral ties with it.Visit to Israel of Honorable Mrs. Sahana Pradhan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
B. P. Koirala, the
prime minister of Nepal The Prime Minister of Nepal ( ne, नेपालको प्रधानमन्त्री) is the head of government of Nepal. The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers of Nepal and the chief adviser to the President of ...
from 1959 to 1960, had a strong pro-Israel foreign policy. Various Nepalese political figures, including the
king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
(formerly), heads of government and state, and ministers have all since visited Israel and continued his foreign policy. With the exception of a nine-month-long period of Maoist rule, all Nepalese governments have generally pursued close bilateral relations with Israel.


History

Diplomatic relations between Nepal and Israel were established on 1 June 1960.Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal Since the establishment of ties, Nepal has supported Israel internationally. Israel opened its embassy in
Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
in March 1961. The Nepalese Ambassador to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
was at first accredited to Israel. Nepal also opened the Nepalese honorary consulate general in Israel in 1993 and embassy in 2007. The current Nepalese Ambassador to Israel is Baija Nath Thapalia, who presented his credentials to President Peres on March 19, 2008. Nepal has maintained support for the right of Israel to exist within secure and internationally recognized boundaries. Nepal voted in favor of Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which upheld the right of all the states in the region to live in peace. Nepal has also welcomed every initiative from whatever quarter that seeks to resolve the Middle East problems like the Camp David Accords signed between Egypt and Israel in 1978 and the renewed peace process sponsored time to time by countries like the USA. In 1975, the United Nations General Assembly passed an Arab-sponsored resolution (3379) that equated Zionism with racism and racial discrimination. Nepal expressed its reservation throughout the discussions on the issue and did not support the resolution. In the context of renewed peace in West Asia, the United States took the initiative to introduce a draft resolution to repeal resolution 3379 of 1975 in the 46th Session of the UNGA. A large majority adopted the draft resolution. Nepal voted in favor of the resolution. Israel, the US, and the Western Countries appreciated Nepal's support for the resolution. Nepal welcomed the historic accord signed between Israel and Palestine Liberation Organization on 13 September 1993 in Washington, D.C., on autonomy for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank Town of Jericho and also the agreement signed on 10 September 1993 on mutual recognition to each other. Former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala sent letters of appreciation to
Yitzhak Rabin Yitzhak Rabin (; he, יִצְחָק רַבִּין, ; 1 March 1922 – 4 November 1995) was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77, and from 1992 until h ...
, Prime Minister of Israel, and
Yasser Arafat Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini (4 / 24 August 1929 – 11 November 2004), popularly known as Yasser Arafat ( , ; ar, محمد ياسر عبد الرحمن عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني, Mu ...
, President and PLO Chairman, for this courageous decision taken by them and expressed hope that this would be instrumental in establishing peace, order, and stability in West Asia. Nepal welcomed the ceasefire announced after a summit held between
Israeli Prime Minister The prime minister of Israel ( he, רֹאשׁ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה, Rosh HaMemshala, Head of the Government, Hebrew acronym: he2, רה״מ; ar, رئيس الحكومة, ''Ra'īs al-Ḥukūma'') is the head of government and chief exe ...
Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Leader Mahmud Abbas in Egypt on February 8, 2005, to end four years of bloodshed. Nepal opened its embassy in
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the ...
, Israel on 13 August 2007. Receiving the credentials of the Nepalese ambassador to Israel, Kanta Rizal, in August 2022, Israeli President
Isaac Herzog Isaac "Bougie" Herzog ( he, יצחק "בוז׳י" הרצוג, Yitskhak "Buzhi" Hertsog; born 22 September 1960) is an Israeli politician who has been serving as the 11th president of Israel since 2021. He is the first president to be born in ...
expressed his desire to boost Israeli-Nepalese cooperation, highlighting agriculture, tourism, and innovation as core issues. After the
April 2015 Nepal earthquake The April 2015 Nepal earthquake (also known as the Gorkha earthquake) killed 8,964 people and injured 21,952 more. It occurred at on Saturday, 25 April 2015, with a magnitude of 7.8 Mw or 8.1 Ms and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of X (''Extreme ...
, Israel was one of the first to send aid to Nepal. Israel sent a delegation of 264 people for Search & Rescue missions, and over 95 tons of equipment, including a field hospital. In 2023, 17 Nepalese were taken hostage by Hamas.


Economic Cooperation

Israel and Nepal have progressing economic ties. Israel has been helping Nepal in the fields of technical specialties and Nepal has been supplying manpower to Israel. The chamber of commerce of both nations have trade links as well. The Israel-Nepal Chamber of Commerce is part of the Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce and is headed by Anat Bernstein-Reich and Raviv Byron. The Nepal-Israel Chamber of Commerce based in Kathmandu was established in 2020 and a memorandum of understanding to enhance collaboration was signed between the two sister chambers. Israel has extended cooperation to Nepal in the establishment of the National Construction Company of Nepal and training facilities for the Royal Nepalese Army personnel in parachuting. Israel has been providing Nepal with short-term scholarships in various subjects, particularly in the areas of
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...
,
education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
, rural development, water resources, tourism, etc. Similarly, the Israeli experts in Nepal on farm management, artificial insemination, irrigation, childhood education, workers, and cooperative biotechnology and farm machinery conducted seven on-the-spot courses.


Trade

A Protocol of Cooperation was signed between the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries and the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce in Tel Aviv on 25 June 1993 during the official visit of then Prime Minister Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala to Israel. The trade between Nepal and Israel has remained in favor of Israel. Nepal exported items amounted to Rs 3,175,682 and imported amounted Rs 483,695,044, having a trade deficit of Rs 480,519,362 in fiscal year 2003/04 according to the Trade Promotion Center. On May 21, 2020, an MOU for trade promotion was signed between the Nepal-Israel Chamber of Commerce, based in Nepal, and the Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce which is the umbrella organization for the Israel-India and Nepal Chamber of Commerce.


Expat workers

A number of Nepalese citizens work in Israel as there is a demand for more workers from Nepal. It is estimated that about 12,000 Nepalese foreign workers are residing in Israel, most of whom are women working as caregivers. Israel has clarified it would not allow Nepali workers in its territory due to the ill practices followed by Nepali manpower agents rendering the efforts from the Nepali side to reopen Israel as a labor destination futile. Israel stopped Nepali workers in April 2009, saying Nepali manpower agents had charged exorbitant fees to the workers, created nexus with Israel-based Nepali brokers, and sent low-skilled workers. Recently, Israel has clarified to the Nepali mission in Israel, it would not reopen the process of welcoming Nepali workers until the activities of manpower agents are ‘improved’, according to sources at the labor ministry.


Military relations

The Government of Nepal and the Israeli Government signed a bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) on November 18, 2002.


Bilateral Visits

Late Prime Minister Mr.
BP Koirala Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala ( ne, विश्वेश्वरप्रसाद कोइराला; 8 September 1914 – 21 July 1982), (Nepali: 1971 B.S. Bhadra 24 - 2039 B.S Shrawan 6)better known as B. P. Koirala ( ne, बीपी ...
paid an official visit to Israel in 1960, which was very important in the context that many countries had not recognized and many had outlawed Israel at that time. After coming to power through a military coup that overthrew the democratic government of BP Koirala, the autocratic monarch of Nepal, Mahendra paid a State Visit to Israel in September 1963, to rally support for his regime. He maintained Koirala's special relationship with Israel.Abadi, Jacob. ''Israel's Quest for Recognition and Acceptance in Asia: Garrison State Diplomacy'', 2004. Page 318. This was returned by Late Israeli President
Zalman Shazar Zalman Shazar ( he, זלמן שז"ר; born Shneur Zalman Rubashov; be, Шнэер За́льман Рубашо́ў; russian: Шне́ер За́лмен Рубашо́в; November 24, 1889 – October 5, 1974) was an Israeli politician, author ...
's Official Visit to Nepal later. In 1968, Birendra, then Crown Prince, paid a two-week study visit to Israel. Then Foreign Minister of Israel late Moshe Dayan visited Nepal in April 1979. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Daman Nath Dhungana Daman Nath Dhungana is a Nepali politician and former house speaker. He played an instrumental role during the Nepal peace process between 2003 and 2009. His role as the first house speaker after the establishment of constitutional monarchy, i ...
, paid an official visit to Israel in January 1992 at the invitation of the
Speaker of the Knesset The Speaker of the Knesset ( he, יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁ הכנסת, Yoshev Rosh HaKnesset, Chairman of the Knesset) is the presiding officer of the Knesset, the unicameral legislature of Israel. The Speaker also acts as President of Israel whe ...
. On 23–25 June 1993, the then Prime Minister of Nepal,
Girija Prasad Koirala Nepal Ratna Girija Prasad Koirala ( ne, गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइराला ; 4 July 1924 – 20 March 2010), affectionately known as Girija Babu, was a Nepalese politician. He headed the Nepali Congress and served as the ...
paid an Official Visit to Israel. Minister of Agriculture and Local Development Ram Chandra Paudel paid an Official Visit to Israel on 17–21 November 1993. Hasta Bahadur Malla, then Assistant Minister of Education visited Israel to participate in the Jerusalem International Conference of Ministers of Education on January 8–11, 1996.
Jhala Nath Khanal Jhala Nath Khanal ( ne, झलनाथ खनाल, ; born 20 May 1950) is a Nepalese politician who was the 35th Prime Minister of Nepal from February 2011 to August 2011. He was previously the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified ...
, then Minister of Communications paid an official visit to Israel on September 16–22, 1997 at the invitation of the Minister of Communication of Israel.
Sahana Pradhan Sahana Pradhan (Nepali: साहाना प्रधान) (17 June 1927 – 22 September 2014) was a Nepalese politician from a Newar family in Kathmandu. She resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal on April 16, 2008. She also serve ...
, the Foreign Minister of Nepal, visited Israel and met with
Tzipi Livni Tziporah Malka "Tzipi" Livni ( he, ציפי (ציפורה) מלכה לבני, ; born 8 July 1958) is an Israeli politician, diplomat, and lawyer. A former member of the Knesset and leader in the center-left political camp, Livni is a former for ...
, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs,
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Shimon Peres, and Aaron Abramovich, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on July 12, 2007, the first time the Nepalese Foreign Minister has visited. Pradhan announced Nepal will soon open an embassy in Israel.


See also

*
Foreign relations of Israel Foreign relations of Israel refers to diplomatic and trade relations between Israel and other countries around the world. Israel has diplomatic ties .
*
Foreign relations of Nepal Though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is the government agency responsible for the conduct of foreign relations of Nepal, historically, it is the Office of Prime Minister (PMO) that has exercised the authority to formulate and conduct ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Israel-Nepal Relations
Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
Bilateral relations of Nepal