Albanian-Israeli relations

The Albanian-Israeli Relations ( Albanian Marrëdhëniet shqiptaro-hebraike ; Hebrew יחסי אלבניה-ישראל) describe the relationship between Albania and Israel .

Relations between the two countries are considered excellent and are mainly characterized by the exceptional role played by the Albanians during the Holocaust : Albania is the only German- occupied country in Europe whose Jewish population increased during the Second World War .

Numerous bilateral agreements are currently in force between the two countries. In 2015 the heads of government of both countries signed a friendship treaty.

Diplomatic relations

Cold War (until 1991)

The Socialist People's Republic of Albania recognized Israel in 1949 because it was in line with the Eastern Bloc's policy towards the newly established state. Official recognition took the form of a telegram that the Albanian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Enver Hoxha sent on April 16, 1949 to the Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Sharet :

“The Government of the People's Republic of Albania, together with the Albanian people, has followed with interest the efforts of the Jewish people to restore their independence and sovereignty. You are glad to see that the statehood of Israel has crowned these efforts with success ”

- Enver Hoxha

However, Albania was the only communist country that did not establish diplomatic or economic relations with Israel. After the Six Day War of 1967, Albania joined the anti-Israel policies of the Eastern Bloc countries at the national and international levels, in recognition of the 1988 Palestine Liberation Organization proclaimed the State of Palestine culminated.

The hostile attitude of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania towards the State of Israel was not based on anti-Semitism, but was an expression of the Cold War in Albanian foreign policy.

“Albania and the Albanian people have always adopted a friendly attitude towards the State of Israel and its people [..] The friendly relations between Albanians and Jews are deeply rooted in history and culminated in World War II when Albania all its Jews Protected from the Nazi Holocaust [..] Jews who lived in Albania saw the country as their second home and, together with the Albanian people, made a valuable contribution to the development and prosperity in Albania. "

- Bashkim Dino

Albanian diplomat Bashkim Dino was Ambassador to Israel and Head of the Middle East Department in the Albanian Foreign Ministry. In 2002 he explained to the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs the Albanian view of Israel during the Cold War:

The socialist dictatorship in Albania was unable to establish diplomatic relations with Israel because of its foreign policy, which was primarily directed against the United States. The state of Israel was accused of being a "lackey" of the US and of serving "imperialist powers". Communist propaganda described Israel as the "US gun in the Middle East". The support for the Palestinians was based purely on the Marxist-Leninist state ideology of Albania, which generally advocated full solidarity with any “revolutionary movement”.

Republic of Albania (since 1991)

Edi Rama on a state visit to Israel with Reuven Rivlin , December 2015

After the fall of the socialist government of Albania, diplomatic relations were established in August 1991. Since the end of communism, Albania has supported Israel in voting in the General Assembly of the United Nations .

The first visit by an Israeli government member took place in 1995. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres landed in Albania on November 28, the Albanian national holiday, and attended state celebrations as a guest of honor. In January 1996, President Sali Berisha visited Israel. The meeting with Prime Minister Shimon Peres ended with the signing of two agreements on economic cooperation and the mutual award of the status of "preferred nation".

In September 2011, during the 66th General Assembly of the United Nations, the Albanian Republic rejected the application for full membership of Palestine in the UN. In his speech , the then Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha described the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran , Mahmud Ahmadineschad , and his government as "the new Nazis" and Iran as "the greatest threat to world peace".

At the invitation of the Israeli Prime Minister, Berisha made a three-day state visit to Israel at the end of November 2011. Meetings were held with several high officials: President Shimon Peres assessed Berisha's visit as a contribution to further deepening the good political relations between the two countries. Both assured each other the interest of their countries to expand the cooperation in the fields of education, energy, information technology and agriculture. Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu guaranteed his government's support for promoting Israeli investments in Albania. During the meeting with Knesset spokesman Reuven Rivlin , he described Palestine's membership in the UN as an act of sabotage that endangers peace in the Middle East. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced to Berisha his decision to open an Israeli embassy in Tirana. At the non-governmental organization Israel Council on Foreign Relations, Sali Berisha spoke as a guest speaker on Righteous Among the Nations - Albania's story of friendship with the Jews and the Jewish state . During his stay in Jerusalem, Berisha demonstratively ignored the al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount. However, he visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Western Wall , where he received a blessing from Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch . In Tel Aviv he took part in the Albania-Israel Economic Forum and informed Israeli entrepreneurs about investment opportunities in Albania. The Albanian-Hebrew community declared Sali Berisha an honorary member.

The Israeli embassy in Tirana was opened during a state visit by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman in August 2012. In 2013 the Albanian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce was founded under the care of Sali Berisha and the Israeli ambassador in Tirana.

In December 2015, Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Edi Rama signed a friendship treaty in Jerusalem on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations . Several agreements in the areas of security and economic cooperation were also concluded. At the joint press conference of the Israeli prime minister praised Albania's role during the genocide by Nazi - Germany of the European Jews.

“We know that the people of Albania are not only good friends of the people of Israel today, but also that they stood shoulder to shoulder with the Jews who were persecuted in Europe during the decisive phase of the Holocaust. We never forget our friends. "

- Benjamin Netanyahu

In January 2017, the Knesset organized for the first time an “Albania Day” to honor the salvation of Jews in Albania during World War II. The Israeli Parliament President Juli-Joel Edelstein received the Albanian Deputy Speaker Valentina Leskaj .

Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati visited his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman and Minister for Regional Cooperation and Communication Zachi Ha-Negbi in February 2017 . He was told that Israeli textbooks already contained a separate chapter for the incomparable role of the Albanians during the Holocaust .

Representations

There is both an Albanian embassy in Tel Aviv and an Israeli embassy in Tirana .

Albanian "Righteous Among the Nations"

73 Albanians have so far received the title Righteous Among the Nations. In 1993 the “Righteous Among the Nations” from Albania were invited to Israel for a week.

Web links

Commons : Albanian-Israeli Relations - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

↑ Martin Fejér and Chrisa-Caroline Wilkens: albania: In the protection of the Besa. An ancient code of honor saved the lives of thousands of Jews during the Shoah. In: Jüdische Allgemeine online. Jüdische Allgemeine, Central Council of Jews in Germany, November 19, 2009, accessed on May 17, 2017 .
↑ Bilateral Agreements between Albania and Israel. In: Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Israel online. November 20, 2015, accessed May 17, 2017 .
^ Annals of Israeli-Albanian Contacts on Establishing Diplomatic Relations. Retrieved May 23, 2017 .
^ Albania and Israel in Accord To Establish Diplomatic Ties. In: The New York Times online. The New York Times Company, August 20, 1991, accessed May 17, 2017 .
↑ Berisha seeks Israel's support. In: Top Channel online. November 22, 2011, accessed March 29, 2018 .
↑ American Jewish Year Book Vol. 95 (1995). American Jewish Committee , accessed January 7, 2018 .
↑ American Jewish Year Book Vol. 97 (1997). American Jewish Committee , accessed January 7, 2018 .
↑ Izrael, Berisha takim me presidentin Shimon Peres (Israel, Berisha meets with the president Shimon Peres). In: Panorama (newspaper) . November 21, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 (Albanian).
↑ PM Berisha meets Israeli PM Netanyahu. In: Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania. November 22, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 .
↑ Albanian PM to Rivlin: PA state bid sabotages peace process. In: The Jerusalem Post . November 21, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 .
^ Albania and Israel: Survivor Nations with a Common Heritage and a Common Future. (PDF; 515 kB) In: Israel Council on Foreign Relations. November 21, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 .
^ Itamar Eichner: Albanian PM: Ahmadinejad is the new nazi. In: Ynetnews online. November 30, 2011, accessed May 17, 2017 .
↑ Berisha visits Israel at the invitation of Netanyahu. In: Panorama (newspaper) . November 20, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 (Albanian).
^ Israel opens embassy in Albania. In: The Jerusalem Post online. The Jerusalem Post, February 8, 2012, accessed May 17, 2017 .
↑ PM Netanyahu Meets with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. In: Israeli Prime Minister's Office online. December 21, 2015, accessed May 17, 2017 .
↑ Israel's Knesset hosts Albania Day Event. In: News Agency of the Republic of Albania. January 18, 2017, accessed May 17, 2017 .
^ Minister Bushati pays working visit in Israel. In: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania online. February 21, 2017, accessed May 21, 2017 .

[1] Martin Fejér and Chrisa-Caroline Wilkens: albania: In the protection of the Besa. An ancient code of honor saved the lives of thousands of Jews during the Shoah. In: Jüdische Allgemeine online. Jüdische Allgemeine, Central Council of Jews in Germany, November 19, 2009, accessed on May 17, 2017 .

[2] Bilateral Agreements between Albania and Israel. In: Embassy of the Republic of Albania in Israel online. November 20, 2015, accessed May 17, 2017 .

[3] Annals of Israeli-Albanian Contacts on Establishing Diplomatic Relations. Retrieved May 23, 2017 .

[4] Albania and Israel in Accord To Establish Diplomatic Ties. In: The New York Times online. The New York Times Company, August 20, 1991, accessed May 17, 2017 .

[5] Berisha seeks Israel's support. In: Top Channel online. November 22, 2011, accessed March 29, 2018 .

[6] American Jewish Year Book Vol. 95 (1995). American Jewish Committee , accessed January 7, 2018 .

[7] American Jewish Year Book Vol. 97 (1997). American Jewish Committee , accessed January 7, 2018 .

[8] Izrael, Berisha takim me presidentin Shimon Peres (Israel, Berisha meets with the president Shimon Peres). In: Panorama (newspaper) . November 21, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 (Albanian).

[9] PM Berisha meets Israeli PM Netanyahu. In: Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania. November 22, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 .

[10] Albanian PM to Rivlin: PA state bid sabotages peace process. In: The Jerusalem Post . November 21, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 .

[11] Albania and Israel: Survivor Nations with a Common Heritage and a Common Future. (PDF; 515 kB) In: Israel Council on Foreign Relations. November 21, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 .

[12] Itamar Eichner: Albanian PM: Ahmadinejad is the new nazi. In: Ynetnews online. November 30, 2011, accessed May 17, 2017 .

[13] Berisha visits Israel at the invitation of Netanyahu. In: Panorama (newspaper) . November 20, 2011, accessed January 6, 2018 (Albanian).

[14] Israel opens embassy in Albania. In: The Jerusalem Post online. The Jerusalem Post, February 8, 2012, accessed May 17, 2017 .

[15] PM Netanyahu Meets with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. In: Israeli Prime Minister's Office online. December 21, 2015, accessed May 17, 2017 .

[16] Israel's Knesset hosts Albania Day Event. In: News Agency of the Republic of Albania. January 18, 2017, accessed May 17, 2017 .

[17] Minister Bushati pays working visit in Israel. In: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania online. February 21, 2017, accessed May 21, 2017 .