Israel–Zimbabwe relations
History
Israel did not originally support Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom in 1965.{{cite news|url=https://www.jta.org/archive/israel-supports-u-n-on-rhodesia-severs-economic-ties-with-colony|title=Israel Supports U. N. on Rhodesia; Severs Economic Ties with Colony|date=15 November 1965|work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}} Later that same year, it called the new Rhodesian regime illegal.{{cite news|url=https://www.jta.org/archive/israel-takes-stand-at-u-n-against-rhodesia-and-so-african-policy|title=Israel Takes Stand at U. N. Against Rhodesia and So. African Policy|date=3 December 1965|work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency}}
However, by the 1970s Israel's attitude toward Rhodesia changed. Rhodesia was largely under international sanctions due to its Timocratic nature. Israel, like Portugal and others,{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,836951,00.html|title=Malawi: Heroes or Neros?|magazine=Time |date=14 April 1967|via=content.time.com}} did not participate in the sanctions.{{cite web|url=http://www.southafricaproject.info/rhodesia_and_south_africa.html|title=RHODESIA AND SOUTH AFRICA|website=www.southafricaproject.info|access-date=2017-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210154222/http://www.southafricaproject.info/rhodesia_and_south_africa.html|archive-date=2017-02-10|url-status=dead}} During the 1970s, Israel sold weapons and military equipment to the white government of Rhodesia during the Rhodesian Bush War, eventually granting them a license to manufacture their own.{{cite book|last=Beit-Hallahmi|first=Benjamin|year=1988|title=The Israeli Connection: Whom Israel Arms and Why|pages=62–63}}
Rhodesia became Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1979, then Zimbabwe in 1980. The new Zimbabwean government under Robert Mugabe supported the PLO under Yasser Arafat during the 1980s, and formally established relations with the PLO in March 1983. Israeli relations with South Africa in the 1970s led to Zimbabwe's verbal support for the PLO and comparisons of Zionism to apartheid. The state-run publication, The Herald, questioned the legitimacy of Israel's existence.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} In October 1983, Abel Muzorewa, the former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia, visited Israel. He urged Robert Mugabe to establish diplomatic relations, saying his political policies hurt Zimbabwe's agriculture and technology industries. Muzorewa was imprisoned that year for alleged conspiracy with Israel and South Africa.{{Cite web|url=https://britishpathe.com/video/VLVA7V0IOGA5WC025BWFX4TUDWSFW-ZIMBABWE-UNITED-AFRICAN-NATIONAL-COUNCIL-ATTACKS-ARREST-OF-BISHOP-ABEL/query/wildcard|title=Zimbabwe: United African National Council Attacks Arrest Of Bishop Abel Muzorewa.|first=British|last=Pathé|website=britishpathe.com}}
Israel and Zimbabwe established formal diplomatic relations in 1993.{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/zimbabwe.html|title=Zimbabwe Virtual Jewish History Tour|website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org}} In 2001, the Zimbabwean government voiced support for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.{{cite book|last=Schwartz|first=Richard|year=2001|title=Coming to Terms: Zimbabwe in the International Arena|pages=157–161}}
On November 10, 2023, religious leaders in Zimbabwe called for Israeli's military operations in Gaza to end and for "the enforcement of an immediate ceasefire.{{cite web|last=Daniel|first=Gracious|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/theindependent/local-news/article/200019323/zimbabwe-religious-leaders-call-for-an-end-to-israel-brutality|title=Zimbabwe religious leaders call for an end to Israel brutality|website=Newsday|date=November 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110154231/https://www.newsday.co.zw/theindependent/local-news/article/200019323/zimbabwe-religious-leaders-call-for-an-end-to-israel-brutality|archive-date=November 10, 2023|url-status=live}} Previously, on November 2, Christopher Mutsvangwa, the official spokesperson of the ZANU-PF political bureau, criticized Israeli military actions in Gaza as "cruel and heinous bombing" and a "genocide against...the Palestinian[s]", and added that the ZANU-PF affirmed "support for the Palestinian people" and criticized Israel for "not committing to the two-state solution" and for other actions.{{cite web|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231102-zimbabwe-describes-israels-cutting-off-water-electricity-from-gaza-as-a-war-crime/|title=Zimbabwe describes Israel's cutting off water, electricity from Gaza as a war crime|website=Middle East Monitor|date=November 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103081029/https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231102-zimbabwe-describes-israels-cutting-off-water-electricity-from-gaza-as-a-war-crime/|archive-date=November 3, 2023|url-status=live}}
Commercial relations
Zimbabwe is not a party to boycotts on Israel.[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:OwBxUwuN85EJ:www.inta.org/downloads/tap_sanctionsAug2005.pdf+commer+israel+zimbabwe&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgWhpOdBGaUfWtUtahka_hb9jmw97kZ0FhTEMCRYIGoWDHpDAZh5GYwbg5a8gRKMkUqHs9XoW5lHDQk_ECx_Lki2HAQfVvtyaWhLC4HmcP0mLHdrr4bET1e1wkbHP9YPxGAox9W&sig=AHIEtbTl6YYuturAOlfBl-CS4B3ky699Gg US Economic Sanctions and Anti-Boycott Laws] In March 2002, an Israeli company sold riot control vehicles to the Mugabe government.{{cite web|url=http://www.sadocc.at/news2002/2002-163.shtml|title=Zimbabwe: Israel to sell heavy riot control vehicles to Mugabe government|publisher=Southern African Documentation and Cooperation Centre Dokumentations|access-date=2007-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328230903/http://www.sadocc.at/news2002/2002-163.shtml|archive-date=2007-03-28|url-status=dead}} In 2008, a Zimbabwean business delegation visited Israel for a week to explore new trade opportunities in the spheres of agriculture, telecommunications, cosmetics and solar energy. The tour was organized by the Christian Friends of Israel Zimbabwe.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200807160753.html|title=Zimbabwe: Business Delegation Set to Leave for Israel|date=16 July 2008|via=AllAfrica}}
At a meeting in Tel Aviv in June 2010, Israel declared its support for Zimbabwe's inclusion in the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, stating that Zimbabwe is capable of supplying nearly a quarter of the global demand for diamonds.{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201006250039.html|title=Zimbabwe: Israel Backs Zim Diamonds|date=25 June 2010|via=AllAfrica}}
In 2015, Israel's exports to Zimbabwe totaled US$7.14 million,{{cite web|url=http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/isr/zwe/show/2015/|title=What does Israel export to Zimbabwe? (2015)|publisher=The Observatory of Economic Complexity|year=2015|access-date=May 3, 2017}} while Zimbabwe exported almost exclusively diamonds to Israel for US$13.8 million in the same year.{{cite web|url=http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/visualize/tree_map/hs92/export/zwe/isr/show/2015/|title=What does Zimbabwe export to Israel? (2015)|publisher=The Observatory of Economic Complexity|year=2015|access-date=May 3, 2017}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Foreign relations of Israel}}
{{Foreign relations of Zimbabwe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Israel-Zimbabwe relations}}
Category:Bilateral relations of Zimbabwe