27 May 2023, NIICE Commentary 8645
Saroj Deo
Relations between Nepal and Israel have traditionally been pleasant, and Nepal has always been a supporter of Israel, while Israel has reciprocated the support. On June 1, 2020, during the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel and Nepal, then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation to congratulate each other. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the strong and enduring bilateral relations that have developed over the past 60 years and agreed to further enhance them in the future. They emphasized the importance of increased engagement at both bilateral and multilateral forums, fostering people-to-people contacts, and strengthening Israel-Nepal cooperation. These instances demonstrate the significance both countries place on their relationship and their commitment to its continued growth.
Nepal-Israel Bilateral Ties
Bilateral ties between Israel and Nepal were established on June 1, 1960, at a time when most Asian countries, including China and India, did not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel. Israel promptly opened its embassy in March 1961, while Nepal inaugurated the Nepalese Honorary Consulate General in Israel in 1993. The Nepalese Ambassador to Egypt was also concurrently accredited to Israel until Nepal established its embassy in Tel Aviv on August 13, 2007. Since then, the bilateral relations have been characterized by mutual cooperation, goodwill, understanding, and friendship, encompassing various developmental and cooperative domains.
Nepal was the only country in the region until a few years ago to recognize the existence of Israel and maintain diplomatic relations. Nepal continues to support Israel’s right to exist within secure and internationally recognized boundaries. Nepal voted in favor of Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which uphold the right of all states in the region to live in peace. Additionally, Nepal welcomes any initiative from any source that seeks to resolve the ongoing conflicts or tensions in the Middle East.
Geographically distant, Israel and Nepal maintain close relations, which have seen improvement through high-level exchanges. In 1960, the late Prime Minister B.P. Koirala paid an official visit to Israel, marking a significant milestone in establishing historic relations between the two nations. Likewise, in 1963, the late King Mahendra made a state visit to Israel, reciprocated by the late Israeli President Zalman Shazar’s official visit to Nepal. In 1968, the late King Birendra, then Crown Prince, undertook an official visit to Israel on June 23-25, 1993.
Furthermore, several notable figures from Nepal have paid official visits to Israel, including former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Daman Nath Dhungana, and former Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa, at different times. In April 1979, the late Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan visited Nepal. Notably, in 2012, Nepal and Israel jointly issued a postal stamp commemorating the completion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Prospects of Stronger Cooperation
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the relations between Nepal and Israel have made significant progress. The collaboration and cooperation in various sectors such as commerce, tourism, foreign employment, culture, education, and infrastructure development have strengthened the bilateral relations between the two countries. Nepal and Israel have a high potential to further enhance their economic ties through cooperation in trade, tourism, and foreign employment.
In 2016, Nepal exported various items to Israel, amounting to NRs 83,09,474.00, while imports from Israel amounted to NRs 56,33,76,328.00, resulting in a significant trade deficit for Nepal. The trade between the two countries has been heavily skewed in favor of Israel. Nepal’s exports to Israel include jute carpets, woollen products, tobacco items, and vegetable products, while imports consist of non-alcoholic drinks, disc recorders, electronic machinery and equipment, and animal vaccines.
Both Nepal and Israel have immense potential in the tourism sector. Nepal, with its natural beauty, world-famous high peaks, including the tallest mountain on Earth, Mount Everest, and adventurous tourist sites, rich flora and fauna, and friendly people, attracts visitors from all over the world. Similarly, Israel’s unique attractions, such as the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, with its remarkable saltwater that keeps individuals effortlessly afloat, and other beautiful locations, offer great tourism opportunities.
Israel is an appealing destination for Nepalese youths, especially for female workers seeking foreign employment. Although the number of Nepalese youths working in Israel in the caregiving and agriculture sectors has decreased recently, there is still potential for growth. The Israeli government has proposed recruiting caregivers through the government-to-government (G2G) process. In 2016, Israel brought 59 female caregivers to Israel under the Joint Pilot Programme through this process.
In 2022, Israel resumed accepting Nepalese workers after a long hiatus. A decade ago, Israel was considered an attractive destination for Nepalese seeking foreign employment, particularly as caregivers. According to the agreement signed between Nepal and Israel at the government level (G2G) regarding the recruitment of auxiliary workers from Nepal in Israel’s nursing sectors, 297 out of over 1000 Nepalese selected by the Department of Foreign Employment have been sent to Israel so far.
Israel’s Assistance to Nepal
Israel provided significant and immediate support following the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015. Israel promptly initiated the provision of emergency humanitarian aid, organized flights to transport rescue and medical teams to the affected area, and established a field hospital. The initial Israeli rescue plane, operated by the Home Front Command, landed in Kathmandu on Sunday, April 26. On the same day, Magen David Adom (Israel’s Red Cross National Society) dispatched a plane to Nepal carrying a delegation of doctors and paramedics. This constituted one of the notable instances of assistance to Nepal by Israel in the aftermath of the earthquake.
People-to-People Contacts
Although Nepal and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1960, the expansion of relations between the two countries has primarily occurred in recent times at the people-to-people level. The cooperation and collaboration between Nepal and Israel have strengthened across various sectors, including agriculture, health, and education. Israel’s assistance in training, scholarships, agricultural management, and education has notably increased, accompanied by a rise in Israel’s exports to Nepal in these areas. Additionally, Israel has emerged as an attractive destination for Nepali students and youths, particularly in the fields of education and agriculture. Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Hanan Goder, expressed his commitment to further enhancing the bilateral relationship, noting that B.P. Koirala, Nepal’s first elected prime minister, had even written a novel about Hitler and the Jews. Despite their divergent perspectives, Koirala acknowledged Israel’s independent existence and played a pivotal role in establishing diplomatic ties between Nepal and Israel.
Conclusion
Nepal stands out as the first country in South Asia and one of the pioneers in Asia to establish bilateral relations with Israel. The nation has consistently shown unwavering support for Israel in various international forums. Similarly, Israel has been actively supporting Nepal through diverse programs aimed at improving the daily lives of its people. However, both countries have significant room for improvement in strengthening their bilateral relations, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hampered high-level visits. Efforts to enhance diplomatic relations can be pursued through various means, including high-level bilateral visits. Such visits play a vital role in fostering stronger ties and can involve esteemed officials such as Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Secretaries, and other key representatives from both nations. Furthermore, promoting collaboration in higher agricultural studies, mechanized agriculture, technological support, cultural exchange, investments, and implementing policies to attract more tourists would greatly contribute to expanding the diplomatic relationship between Nepal and Israel.
Saroj Deo is a Research Associate at NIICE.
