Austrian-Israeli relations

Austria recognized the independence of Israel on March 5, 1949. Austria has an embassy in Tel Aviv and 3 honorary consulates (in Eilat , Haifa and Jerusalem ) ^[1] , and Israel has an embassy in Vienna . ^[2] Both countries are members of the Mediterranean Union .

In 2000, after the right-wing freedom party led by Jörg Haider entered the government coalition, Israel withdrew its ambassador. After negotiations in Jerusalem with Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner in 2003, relations were restored. ^[3] Israeli Ambassador to Austria - Abraham Toledo.

In March 2018, Jürgen Michael Kleppich, attaché of the Austrian embassy in Israel, took a picture of himself in a T-shirt with the name of the SS division “Frundsberg” and the inscription “Defend your land”. ^[4] After the picture got into the media, Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneisl recalled the diplomat to Vienna for an explanation. ^[5]

In early May 2018, it became known that Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz will pay a state visit to Israel. Prior to that, he twice visited the Jewish state as Minister of Foreign Affairs. ^[6]

In June 2018, the newly elected Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurtz, became the second-ever head of state (after U.S. President Donald Trump ) to visit the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem as part of an official visit to Israel. According to the official EU policy, Temple Mount is considered as part of the occupied territories and politicians refrain from visiting there. In addition, Chancellor Kurtz also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and signed a treaty opening access to the Austrian archives for the memorial workers. The visit was also attended by the Austrian Minister of Education Heinz Fassman, who also signed a cooperation agreement with the museum. ^[7]

In November 2018, Israel underwent massive rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. In response, the positions of Hamas militants in the sector were fired upon. With the escalation of the conflict, Austria supported Israel: Chancellor Kurtz published a statement on Twitter on the need for a complete ceasefire by both parties, as well as on Austria's support for the Jewish state. ^[8] On November 20-21, Austria should host a forum on the fight against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, to which the head of the Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu, is invited. The forum is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht . The deputy of the Austrian parliament from the ruling party, Martin Engelberg, also said that the forum will be devoted to the topic of combating the Israeli boycott. ^{[9] [10]} However, due to the security situation in the south of the country, as well as the crisis of the political system (after the resignation of Minister of Defense Lieberman ), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled his participation in the conference. ^[eleven]

In February 2019, Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen paid an official visit to Israel. His Israeli counterpart Reuven Rivlin hosted a state reception in his honor. A bilateral meeting was also held to discuss the strengthening of cooperation between countries and the situation in the Middle East region. ^[12]

In March 2019, Austria (represented by Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz), together with Great Britain, Denmark and Australia, announced that it would vote against all resolutions condemning Israel, considered under the 7th part of the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council. ^[13]

Israel in Austria

• Talya Lador-Fresher (since 2015)
• Zvi Kheifets (2013—2015)
• Dan Ashbel (March 2005 - October 2009)
• Nathan Peled (1960-1963)
• (1959) - Israel's first ambassador to Austria

• Jewish Museum of Vienna
• Anschluss

• Austria Ministry of Foreign Affairs: list of bilateral treaties with Israel (in German only)
• Austrian Embassy in Tel Aviv
• Israeli Embassy in Vienna (in German only)