(Source: Israel Government Year Book, 1999)
Director-Generals Bureau:
Training and Human Resources Planning Subdepartment: The many changes in recent years, the peace process, and the rapid technological advances in communications have led to a new approach in the cadets course. Emphasis has been placed on recruiting university graduates with degrees in fields that are crucial to Israeli diplomacy, such as orientalists, economists, and managers. In the summer of 1997, 40 cadets completed their training; this was the largest course ever in the Ministry. Most of them were given jobs in the Ministry and are serving abroad.
Thanks to the Subdepartments external relations, a seminar was held in Israel for young diplomats from 30 countries, where they learned about Israel, the Middle East, and the peace process, as well as about changes in the diplomatic profession. Another seminar was organized for 14 young diplomats from Cyprus. An additional area that has been developed concerns ties with diplomatic academies; meetings were held with 20 heads of academies, and at them cooperation in training diplomats was discussed.
The Interreligious Affairs Division is in charge of fostering and developing relations with all religions, religious movements, and religious sects around the world. It also deals with the issue of Jerusalem and with the development of relations with the Holy See. The Division coordinates its activities in these areas with Israeli State, municipal, and voluntary institutions (e.g., the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Municipality of Jerusalem, and Ministry of Education), maintains contacts with interfaith organizations and helps them promote understanding between Jews, Christians, Muslims, and members of other religions in Israel. It is in charge of laying the foundations for relations with Muslims around the world and works on encouraging and developing interfaith dialogue between Jews and Muslims in an effort to promote the peace process and reconciliation in our region. It also helps with Israeli participation in interfaith conferences and symposia at which interfaith relations and their approaches to the problems of the Middle East are discussed. The Division also encourages and fosters pilgrimages to Israel and visits by leaders of religious and church organizations from various countries; these leaders come on pilgrimages and visits connected to their churches affairs, especially as we approach the year 2000.
The World Jewish Affairs Division, headed by the Foreign Ministers Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, maintains ties with Jewish communities around the world through the missions and in cooperation with people outside the Foreign Ministry. In 1997 the Division dealt with the issue of streams in Judaism, arranged a meeting between the Ministerial Committee on Diaspora Affairs and representatives of American Jewry, initiated and prepared meetings of the Israel-Diaspora Forum, and was involved in marking the 500th anniversary of the exile of Portuguese Jewry.
The Coordination Subdepartment is responsible for coordination among the departments of the Foreign Ministry and relations with people outside the Ministry. It reported to the missions on the discussions and instructions of the Ministry administration and monitored compliance with these instructions. The Subdepartment head chaired the committee that discussed appointments and the functioning of Israels honorary consuls abroad.
The Subdepartment handled the routine functioning of the Foreign Ministry situation room and coordinated and managed special diplomatic operations.
The Protocol and Official Guests Subdepartment is headed by the Chief of Protocol of the State of Israel, who is the director of the Subdepartment.
The Protocol Division is in charge of ceremonial matters in the Ministry, the President, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and State officials and institutions. It advises government ministries and other State agencies on matters of protocol and instructs Israeli missions regarding State ceremonies. In 1997, 78 embassies, four interest sections, and 29 nonresident ambassadors were accredited to Israel. In 199697, 61 ambassadors (including nonresident ones) submitted their credentials to the President of Israel.
The Official Guests Division prepares the itineraries of official visitors (from heads of state and high-ranking delegations to clerics and journalists) and coordinates matters with them and with the relevant agencies. In 1996 it handled approximately 1,900 visitors and their entourages, including the King of Jordan; the presidents of the United States, Kenya, France, Albania, Turkey, Ukraine, and Austria; 13 foreign ministers; and heads of parliaments, ministers, and parliamentary delegations from various countries. In 1997 the Division handled about 1,800 visitors, including the presidents of Colombia, Moldova, and the Czech Republic; a Jordanian prince; 16 foreign ministers; and other government ministers from various countries.
The Consular Subdepartment and the heads of the consular sections in the missions dealt with legal matters such as assistance for Israeli prisoners/detainees, Israeli citizens in distress, extradition, issuance of documents, requests for legal inquiries, requests for official legal assistance, coordination of questioning and notarization. The computerization of the consular system greatly facilitated the provision of consular services and efficient, rapid updating in many of the missions. Aside from computerizing the statutes and procedures, the Subdepartment posts consular information on the Internet.
The Political Planning Subdepartment, established in 1993 as part of the reform in the Foreign Ministry, has been involved in the various aspects of the peace process and monitors issues related to the status and interests of Israel in the international arena. It prepared planning and monitoring papers on basic foreign-policy issues and helped the heads of the Ministry with decision-making. The Subdepartment presented the operative echelons with a variety of original ideas that went beyond routine work. The Subdepartment is spearheading the Foreign Ministrys activity in the war on terrorism, the Barcelona process, and political discussions with NATO and with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The Disarmament Affairs Subdepartment dealt with several main issues, including international and regional security, treaties, disarmament activity in multilateral forums, and prevention of the spread of nonconventional weapons (atomic, biological, and chemical) and missiles to the region. In addition to taking part in political dialogues and activities of international and regional security organizations, the Subdepartment works with the Arms Control and Regional Security (ACRS) work group, one of the five working groups set up in the multilateral track of the peace process.
The Department for the Peace Process and the Middle East is at the front line of relations with the Palestinians in Judea-Samaria and Gaza and with Israels neighbors in striving for peace. It participates in some of the nine joint committees with the Palestinians, is in charge of the Ministrys work vis-à-vis the donor countries to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and PA officials and agencies, coordinates between the military authorities and private individuals and organizations with respect to permits to enter Israel, and heads the discussions on Arabs "displaced" in 1967 in the four-way (Palestinian-Jordanian-Egyptian-Israeli) talks.
In 1997 the Divisions activity was affected by the political situation and progress in the peace process. As the negotiations progressed, the Division took part in numerous meetings and committee discussions; during closures the Division dealt more with humanitarian cases and assistance in obtaining entry permits.
The Jordan Division arranged high-level visits in both directions. The Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, National Infrastructures Minister, Minister of Industry and Trade, Transport Minister, and IDF Chief of General Staff visited Jordan (this was the first official visit by an IDF Chief of General Staff to an Arab country). Jordanian visitors to Israel included King Hussein, Crown Prince Hassan, the prime minister, the minister of industry and trade, the water minister, and the tourism minister, as well as Prince Raad (third in the royal hierarchy) and Princess Aisha, Chief Officer of the Womens Corps.
In late May 1997, the second stage of the water agreement was implemented, and Israel began to transfer 25 million cubic meters of water a year to Jordan for three years. In November the first airplane in the trial phase of the joint Eilat-Aqaba airport project landed in the Aqaba airport. Israel and Jordan signed an agreement making areas in Jordan eligible for special status; products of joint factories located in these areas would enjoy an exemption from taxes in the American market.
The Gulf States Division was established and is currently in charge of two missions: the Israeli trade missions in Muscat (capital of the Sultanate of Oman) and Doha (capital of Qatar), which opened in the summer of 1996. Qatar has not yet opened a mission in Israel; Oman, which opened a trade mission in Tel Aviv, recalled its representative.
Both Israeli missions in the Gulf promote trade and economic relations. The mission in Doha helped organize Israeli participation in the Middle EastNorth Africa economic conference, held in Qatar in November 1997.
Egypt Division: Egyptian-Israeli relations are in a protracted slump, as manifested in the small number of visits, decline in bilateral trade, and volume of economic activity between the two countries. Although in the past year the Israeli President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Defense Minister and the director-general of the Foreign Ministry visited Egypt, ministers and high-ranking officials from Egypt did not come to Israel, except for Foreign Minister Moussa, who did not come as an official guest of the Government.
Egypt took a hard line toward Israeli businesspeople working in Cairo, reaching its peak when businesspeople were barred from entering Egypt and Azzam Azzam, an Israeli, was sentenced to 15 years in jail at hard labor on charges of spying for Israel. The Egyptian media continue to publish articles, stories, and cartoons denouncing Israel and its ministers; some of this material is antisemitic.
The Maghreb Division continued to handle Israeli relations with North African countries (Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritania). Israel has a liaison office in Morocco and interest offices in Tunisia and Mauritania. The three countries have corresponding missions in Israel. Tunisia recalled the head of its mission in Israel in the summer of 1997 and has so far not appointed a replacement, although the Tunisian interest office continues to function.
Despite the difficulties, economic and tourism relations exist with these countries, and there are even political meetings, such as the meeting between the Finance Minister and his Moroccan counterpart at the International Monetary Fund conference in September 1997.
The Division for Multilateral Talks and Water Affairs coordinates the staff work for the multilateral talks in the peace process and for the work groups on refugees, regional economic cooperation, water, and the environment.
The Political Adviser on Jerusalem Affairs took part in the steering committee of the Ministerial Committee for Jerusalem Affairs and in the subcommittees on enforcement, Christians, and intelligence; coordinated the monitoring of the portrayal of Jerusalem-related issues in the media; provided explanatory information to groups and individuals in matters concerning Jerusalem; escorted VIPs visiting the city; handled the citys external relations in accordance with the activity of the different municipal departments; dealt with the Jerusalem Conference of Mayors; was involved in city council meetings that had international political ramifications (demolition, construction, the eastern part of the city); and handled matters relating to the celebrations of the citys 3000th birthday.
Department for North America: Annual aid faced several attempts at erosion, but in late 1997 both houses of Congress actually decided to strengthen some of the joint defense projects, including the Arrow missile program. The US continued to foil attempts to isolate Israel in UN institutions and the General Assembly, and in the Middle East the US is spearheading the effort to stop Iran and Iraq from becoming stronger and building up their arsenals. The Prime Minister met with the US President and was given the honor of addressing both houses of Congress in a special session. The Foreign and Defense ministers visited the United States, and the US Secretary of State visited Israel. As occurs every year, numerous senators and members of Congress and their aides visited Israel.
The North America Division is in charge of political relations with the United States and Canada.
In the United States, the Divisions work focuses on the Administration and Congress, by means of the Israel Ambassador in Washington. The Division works closely on strategic cooperation and Congressional legislation on a wide variety of issues and monitors US foreign policy and the main socioeconomic trends in American life, including our relations with American Jewry.
Recently, the Division dealt with legislation concerning foreign aid to Israel and the Middle East, as well as legislation budgeting US funds for defense cooperation with Israel, and monitored Congressional support for united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and for implementation of the law requiring the US Embassy to be moved to Jerusalem by May 1999. Other issues monitored by the Division include legislation that would impose sanctions on the transfer of nuclear and ballistic-missile technology to Iran.
In Canada, a separate section maintains ongoing ties with the embassy in Ottawa and with the consulates-general in Toronto and Montreal. The Canadian foreign minister visited Israel in November 1997. The section also monitors Canadas role in the multilateral talks, especially as the party responsible for the work group on refugees.
A major milestone in relations between the two countries is the regional free-trade accord signed on July 31, 1996, in Toronto. Under the agreement, all industrial products and some food and agricultural produce agreed upon in advance is completely exempt from taxes. Data for the first half of the year indicate a substantial increase (52 percent) in the volume of bilateral trade.
The two countries signed an R&D agreement in 1994 and established an R&D fund totaling 6 million Canadian dollars for three years. In 1997 an agreement was signed to extend the activity for another two years.
Department for Western Europe: The past year was marked by growing criticism by the European Union of Israeli policy in the peace process. The Foreign Ministry took action to oppose this trend. The Foreign Minister visited Britain, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Belgium and hosted the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Greece, Norway, Finland, and Austria in Israel. In addition, the Prime Minister visited Europe and hosted the President of France.
The Amsterdam Declaration (late June) for the first time mentioned European support for the establishment of a Palestinian state. It is noteworthy that the special European emissary is continuing his natural activity; lately he has been concentrating on drafting a "code of behavior" for continued negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Europe I handles ties with the following eight countries:
Germany: Bilateral relations are defined as "special relations" because of the Holocaust. Nevertheless and despite growing criticism of Israel in the German media relations are close and include 80 twin cities, a binational foundation for scholarly research, and youth exchanges. The German foreign minister and a long list of German politicians visited Israel. The latest meeting between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor took place in December 1997.
The Netherlands: In the first half of 1997, the Netherlands held the rotating presidency of the European Union. The special relations between the Netherlands and Israel were also manifested in the Dutch contribution to a relatively balanced European policy during this time, despite growing criticism of Israel in Europe as a whole, including in the Netherlands.
Britain: The policy of the Labour Government, which won general elections in 1997 after 18 years of Conservative party rule, remained essentially unchanged. Bilateral relations improved, becoming significantly closer with respect to commercial and economic ties, R&D and security cooperation, and cultural exchanges. This year, the President traveled to Britain the first state visit by an Israeli President since the establishment of the State. The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also visited Britain this year, and British politicians visited Israel.
Ireland: Israels relations with Ireland have been improving since the mutual opening of embassies. The change in Government in Ireland did not alter the nature of the relations. The participation of an Irish unit in the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon makes Irish public opinion sensitive.
France: The expansion of relations with France continued, with reciprocal visits on the highest levels. In December 1997 the Prime Minister visited Paris.
Elections for prime minister resulted in a victory by the Socialist party and a division of power between a right-wing president and a left-wing prime minister. Both of them have shown interest in events in the Middle East.
Luxembourg: Because Luxembourg has held the rotating presidency of the European Union since the second half of 1997, it expressed its desire to help promote the peace process. The foreign minister of Luxembourg visited Israel twice in 1997. In recent years cooperation has increased, as manifested inter alia in the signing of cultural and aviation accords.
Belgium: The solid relations in all areas are especially obvious from the cultural accords between Israel and the two Belgian communities, Francophone and Flemish. Belgium wants to contribute to the peace process. The Belgian foreign minister visited Israel at the head of a parliamentary delegation.
Portugal: Since the establishment of relations with Portugal and the opening of embassies in the two countries, relations between the two countries have advanced rapidly. Agreements were signed in various fields and trade has increased gradually. The Speaker of the Knesset visited Portugal as the representative of the President of Israel for the quincentennial commemoration of the exile of Portuguese Jewry.
Europe II handles relations with nine countries:
Turkey: Relations continued to expand, and the number of trips in both directions increased. Visitors to Turkey included the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Health, and Tourism. The president of the Turkish parliament and the defense and agriculture ministers visited Israel. In addition, an agricultural cooperation agreement was signed.
Greece: The Greek foreign minister visited Israel in May 1997, and the [Israeli] Health Minister headed an Israeli delegation that took part in the dedication ceremony of a memorial to Holocaust victims in Thessaloniki.
Cyprus: This year the Foreign Ministry helped mount an important archaeological exhibition from Cyprus in the Eretz Israel Museum. In addition, a procedure was drawn up to regularize the frequent Israel Air Force flights in the airspace controlled by Cyprus, and a sports cooperation agreement was signed.
Sweden: During the year the ministers of international cooperation and of industry and trade visited Israel. The foreign minister gave a programmatic speech about her countrys policy in the Middle East, which was characterized by one-sided criticism of Israel. The [Israeli] Foreign Minister responded to her in a missive that contained detailed references to her claims.
Norway: The new Government in Norway declared its commitment to continued Norwegian involvement in promoting the peace process and understanding between the two peoples (in the tradition of the previous Government). Last year the [Israeli] Education Minister visited Oslo and the previous [Norwegian] foreign minister and deputy foreign minister visited Israel, as did the present foreign minister. In Oslo a political dialogue took place between the two Foreign Ministries. On the whole, relations between the two countries are good; in particular, the Norwegian Government has a favorable attitude toward compensation for victims of the Nazis.
Denmark: The Foreign Minister met with his Danish counterpart during a stopover on his way to China.
Finland: Relations continued to develop for the better. The Finnish foreign minister visited Israel and a political dialogue took place in Finland between the two Foreign Ministries.
Switzerland: Relations this year focused chiefly on the return of Jewish-owned property and related assets. The Swiss Government has indicated willingness to confront the issue comprehensively and thoroughly, although its handling of the issue as a whole is not flawless. The head of the task force established in Switzerland to look into the matter visited Israel several times. Two delegations led by the [Swiss] prime minister and members of the Swiss parliament also came and met with the people dealing with these issues in Israel.
The [Israeli] Prime Minister met with the President of Switzerland at the Davos conference, the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs visited Israel, and a delegation led by the Speaker of the Knesset traveled to Bern and Basel for the centenary celebrations of Zionism.
Austria: The positive trend in relations continued, with several high-level visits: The [Austrian] foreign minister and the secretary-general of his ministry visited Israel, and the Speaker of the Knesset traveled to Austria. The [Israeli] Prime Minister paid an official visit to Vienna to mark Austrias entry into the EU troika.
The Department for Eastern Europe and the C.I.S. comprises three divisions.
Eastern Europe I: Relations with the countries handled by the Division (Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Belarus) became stronger in all areas. Particularly noteworthy is the intensive dialogue with Russia, marked by numerous trips in both directions. For example, the Prime Minister, the ministers of Industry and Trade, National Infrastructures, Public Security, Absorption, and Education, and the mayor of Jerusalem traveled to Moscow; visitors here included the interior, foreign, and economics ministers, the President of Moldova, and the Ukrainian interior minister. The Israeli Minister of Industry and Trade and Minister of Public Security visited Ukraine. The President of Russia appointed a personal emissary to be involved in the peace process on his behalf.
Hundreds of students took courses in Israel through the Center for International Cooperation, and we taught traveling courses in the CIS. Several agricultural projects are being established. Thus the increase in trade with countries in the region continued.
Eastern Europe II: In 1996 diplomatic relations were established with Croatia and Bosnia. Israel also opened an embassy in Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Relations with all the countries in the region continued to progress with respect to the economy, defense, culture, and scientific and academic cooperation especially because some of the countries are due to join NATO (Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary) and the European Union (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Slovenia in the near future; Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia in the more distant future).
Free-trade agreements were signed with Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Trade with Romania totaled more than $200 million in both directions, the highest total in Eastern Europe after trade with Russia. There is also extensive trade with Hungary and Poland, Israeli investments total hundreds of millions of dollars. Trade with Slovakia totals over $100 million, quite a significant sum given Slovakias size.
Agreements were signed with the Czech Republic and Slovakia exempting tourists from the need for visas. Bulgaria and Croatia unilaterally canceled the visa requirement for Israeli citizens. A special agreement on the adoption of children was signed with Romania.
The government gave Bulgaria and Albania humanitarian aid in the form of medicines and food due to the economic hardship there; aid was also given to the Czech Republic and Poland following floods that struck these countries in the summer.
In 1997 the presidents of the Czech Republic and Slovenia, the prime ministers of Poland and Romania, and the foreign ministers of Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia visited Israel.
In the UN General Assembly, most of the abstentions in the votes on Har Homa were by Eastern European countries. Bulgaria and Romania deserve favorable mention for their votes on Middle East issues, as do Croatia and Slovakia for some of their votes.
Eastern Europe III: Cooperation with the republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus increased. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan opened embassies in Israel, and other countries in the region are following suit. Visitors to Israel included the presidents of Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, the foreign ministers of Turkmenistan (twice), Armenia, and Uzbekistan, the Speaker of the parliament of Kazakhstan, and leaders of political parties in the region.
A delegation of Central Asian water ministers traveled to Israel, the [Israeli] Foreign Minister visited Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and the [Israeli] Prime Minister visited Azerbaijan. In the course of the visits, numerous agreements covering a variety of areas were signed, and Israel continued to extend humanitarian aid to countries in distress Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Model agricultural farms were established in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan with guidance from Israeli experts stationed there. Hundreds of participants have received training in Israel through courses in various subjects, particularly in agriculture, medicine, and education. Israeli counselors were dispatched on brief missions as consultants in these fields and conductes traveling courses. Israeli firms began to invest in the region, and these investments are increasing. An intensive-care ward was established in the main hospital in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, with Israeli supervision and guidance. An agreement was signed to build a hospital in Baku, Azerbaijan, and contracts were signed in the fields of communications, energy, and agriculture.
Countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus take Israeli positions into account and their votes are (usually) favorable to Israel.
Department for Asia and the Pacific: Political, economic, scientific, and cultural ties became closer with the signing of a variety of agreements. Special emphasis was placed on the development of economic relations, and exports to several of the major countries in the region increased this year by double-digit percentages.
China: The [Israeli] Health and Agriculture ministers visited China in 1997, and the [Chinese] deputy prime minister for economic affairs, the Politburo member in charge of agriculture, the ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture, and culture, and provincial leaders came to Israel. Joint committees were formed in agriculture, telecommunications, health, and electronics.
Agricultural cooperation intensified, and the model flower, fruit, and vegetable farm near Beijing expanded to include a dairy section, too. An agreement was reached on the establishmetn of a joint fund for agricultural research.
India: Since the establishment of full diplomatic relations with India in January 1992, relations have become closer and broader. In 1997 the President paid a state visit to India. During the year several heads of government and ministers of the federal states in India visited Israel. In November the embassy in New Delhi organized a month of cultural events throughout India to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Indian and Israeli independence and the fifth anniversary of the establishment of full diplomatic relations.
Japan: In 1997 the Prime Minister [of Israel] and ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Industry and Trade visited Japan. [Japanese] visitors to Israel included the former foreign minister, ministers of foreign affairs and defense, and chairman of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. Japan, which is involved in the peace process, is active in the work groups on the environment, economy, tourism, and water, and in the donor conference. It is the leading donor to the Palestinian Authority and to Jordan. In addition, a Japanese transport unit has been part of UNDOF in the Golan Heights for two years.
The volume of trade between Japan and Israel surpassed $1.5 billion in the first nine months of this year. Several large Japanese companies have opened offices in Israel, which has started to issue bonds in the Japanese capital market.
Korea: The [Israeli] Prime Minister and economic ministers visited Korea, and the [Korean] deputy prime minister and ministers of national unity and agriculture came here. During the year agriculture and communications agreements were signed, and trade continued to increase, approaching the billion-dollar line.
Australia: In 1997 the deputy prime minister [of Australia], the prime minister of the State of Victoria, the leader of the opposition, and the chairman of the parliamentary friendship society visited Israel. A Knesset delegation headed by the Speaker traveled to Australia.
The Maccabiah tragedy, which took the lives of four Australian athletes and injured many others, cast a shadow on Israeli relations with the Jewish community, which numbers about 100,000 and is well organized in terms of community institutions.
Pacific Islands: This enormous area encompassing 166 million square kilometers (including sea) contains 27,000 islands of various sizes. The embassy in Australia is accredited to six countries in the South Pacific: Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. The embassy in New Zealand is accredited to seven other countries: Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and the Cook Islands.
Department for Africa: Israel has relations with 42 African countries, 19 of which were restored in 199496. The efforts to expand and diversify the spheres of cooperation were reflected, inter alia, in visits by the agriculture ministers of Uganda, Ghana, the Seychelles, Rwanda, and Botswana; the transportation ministers of Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Ethiopia; the Nigerian aviation minister; the industry and health ministers of Congo-Brazzaville; professional delegations from Zimbabwe, Uganda, Côte dIvoire, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana; mayors from Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Cameroon, and Congo-Brazzaville (for the Jerusalem Conference of Mayors); and journalists from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Côte dIvoire, Zaire, Guinea, Mali, Gabon, and Niger (for two conferences).
The Africa Department sponsored a series of political visits by six Knesset members to 14 African countries. Negotiations are in progress over bilateral agreements with Mauritius, South Africa, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Côte dIvoire.
Department for Latin America and Carribean: Israel has full diplomatic relations with all 33 countries in the region (except for Cuba) and is represented on the continent by 16 resident ambassadors and two consuls. The countries in the region have 17 embassies in Israel, including the only two embassies in Jerusalem El Salvador and Costa Rica and two in the Jerusalem area (Bolivia and Paraguay in Mevasseret Zion). Nicaragua appointed its first resident ambassador to Israel this year.
In 1997 the President of Colombia, who is also chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, the vice-presidents of Guatemala and Costa Rica, the foreign minister of Mexico, the defense minister of Argentina, many other ministers, parliamentary delegations from El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, and Costa Rica, and others visited Israel. In most countries on the continent, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Zionism was marked with festive ceremonies in which government leaders participated; in three capital cities Guatemala, Santiago (Chile), and Montevideo (Uruguay) central squares bearing the name "Jerusalem" or "Israel" were inaugurated. Special events were also held this year to mark the 50th anniversary of the November 29 resolution, whose passage owed much to Latin American countries; the events included a special ceremony at the Presidents Residence.
This year aviation agreements were initialed with Argentina and Brazil. Many Israeli companies operate in construction, roadbuilding, agriculture, electronics, communications, and computers in Latin America. Trade between Israel and Latin America totals close to $1 billion.
The activity of the Institute for Israeli-Iberoamerican Cultural Relations is anchored in cultural and scientific agreements between Israel and the countries of the region.
Close to one thousand Latin Americans took courses in Israel this year. Israeli experts are stationed in Latin America on long-term missions to help with vocational education, agriculture, youth affairs, and sports, inter alia. Israel also extended aid to victims of natural disasters in Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. A project was launched to provide technical assistance to Central American countries, especially Guatemala, which requires rehabilitation due to the civil war that recently ended.
The Department for International Organizations acts through its four divisions to improve Israels status in the United Nations and in international organizations, to strengthen official relations with the leaders of the organizations, and to explain Israeli political and professional policy in Israel and the territories. It also deals with global and regional organizations, inter alia vis-à-vis the nonaligned bloc, and conducts multilateral dialogue with many countries around the world (in 1997 with the Netherlands, Sweden, India, Portugal, Canada, the United States, Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Germany).
International Organizations I is responsible for relations with international organizations such as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Extensive effort was put into preventing the politicization of these organizations and restricting them to their own spheres of activity. In the past two years Israeli delegates have been elected to the administrative bodies of the WHO, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and to the presidency of the International Council of Women (ICW).
International Organizations II is in charge of the UN arena in New York. In the past year it fought against a severe exacerbation of the political campaign against Israel. This was manifested in the Security Council and the General Assembly, as well as in other UN agencies and organizations. In March 1997 the Security Council held two debates on Har Homa, and on both occasions the US vetoed draft resolutions denouncing construction there. The PLO then initiated proceedings for a special emergency session of the General Assembly, which convened three times and adopted a resolution denouncing the construction at Har Homa.
In 1997 International Organizations II continued to hold contacts on a regular basis with the UN peacekeeping forces in the region: UNTSO (in Jerusalem), UNIFIL (in southern Lebanon), UNDOF (on the Golan Heights), and TIPH (Temporary International Presence in Hebron). The Division also maintained close ties with UNRWA and representatives of other organizations in the territories and coordinated the Foreign Ministrys handling of the issue of PoWs and MiAs.
International Organizations III maintains ties with the economic institutions of the UN and UN agencies and with international economic organizations, in an effort to safeguard Israeli interests in global matters; it also makes its experience and expertise available to development projects in the Third World. In 1997 the Division coordinated the struggle over the issue of Palestinian rights to "natural resources" (water and land) in Judea-Samaria, Gaza, and the Golan Heights and the issue of Israels status in international institutions such as the Convention to Combat Desertification. Israel also remains actively involved in economics, development, and the environment. In the past year Israel served as vice-president of the bureau of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution a position that attests to recognition of Israels status and its contribution to this covenant.
International Organizations IV responds, inter alia, to complaints to Israeli missions around the world about the situation of the Palestinians. It had to formulate clear positions on events related to this issue, gathered and analyzed information on this sensitive subject, and made sure that Israel was represented in the important conferences and sessions of UN committees as a state of law and the most advanced democracy in the region with respect to human rights.
The US State Departments annual report on human rights around the world, which includes a chapter about the territories, this year stressed the overall improvement in human rights thanks to the dialogue that the Division conducts with the US Embassy.
Department for Economic Affairs: In addition to providing ongoing support for the work of the missions, as manifested in professional support, help with informational activity in the economic realm, and the provision of economic instructions, the Department coordinated and formulated the international economic interests of the various government ministries.
The Middle East Economic Subdepartment continued to develop economic ties with Arab countries that have relations with Israel, including Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Oman, and Qatar. Jordan is gradually attracting Israeli investments and Israeli businesses are becoming more and more interested in ties with the Gulf states.
The Subdepartment participated in the negotiations with Jordan to turn the airport in Aqaba into a joint Israeli-Jordanian one and to grant Israel-US free-trade terms to joint factories in the Irbid zone.
Economic Division I, which is responsible for developing economic ties with countries in Asia, Oceania, Latin America, and Africa, took advantage of the peace process and the establishment of diplomatic relations with most Asian countries to develop increasing close relations, especially with Korea (whose seven largest conglomerates have opened offices in Israel) and Japan (the Japanese export institute opened a branch in Israel). The Division hosted economic delegations from China, Korea, and Japan and promoted economic activity with countries with which Israel has no diplomatic relations, such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Division worked on creating awareness of Latin America as a potential market for Israeli companies. The improved economic situation and the development of regional trade organizations have boosted the importance Latin America in the eyes of Israeli exporters, and talks are underway with Mercosur (the largest regional trade organization) to establish a free-trade zone between Israel and Mexico.
The restoration of relations with African countries boosted Israeli exports to Africa last year by 25 percent, with the bulk of the activity in Ethiopia, Angola, and Botswana. The Division assisted Israeli companies (Nafta in Angola, Gilat in Ethiopia) and helped with the cost of setting up Israeli booths at exhibitions (Dakar fair, SARA 97).
Economic Division II is responsible for relations with North Africa, Western Europe, Turkey, and Cyprus, as well as the World Trade Organization, economic aspects of the Barcelona process, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The huge trade deficit with the European Union, Israels biggest trade partner, is one of the biggest challenges facing Israeli exports.
The Division prepared materials for the decision about Israeli membership in the fifth Framework R&D program, coordinated Israeli participation in the three OECD work groups, and opposed the attempt by the Palestinian Authority, supported by the Arab countries, to join the WTO.
Special emphasis was placed on relations with Turkey drafting a free-trade agreement, arranging for a delegation of Israeli manufacturers to travel to Turkey, and hosting Turkish delegations in Israel.
Economic Division III: The collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment here of a sizable community from the CIS heightened interest in the countries of the former Soviet Union in economic ties with Israel, based on an assessment of Israels technological ability. As a result, trade with Eastern Europe exceeded $1 billion.
The Division participated in discussions that resulted in free-trade agreements with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary and other economic agreements with Moldova, Ukraine, and Armenia. The Division represents Israel in the BSEC (Black Sea Economic Cooperation).
Economic Division IV is responsible for economic ties and assistance to the Palestinian Authority and for contacts with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Last year the Division dealt with foreign contributions to the Palestinian Authority, conferences of donor states in various forums, negotiations between Israel and the PA at economic conferences, and assistance in the establishment of the Qarni Industrial Park.
The Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV)is in charge of all of Israels cooperation and assistance activities, carried out through guidance and training, in Israel and abroad. The activity is funded in conjunction with third countries (e.g., the US, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Germany), and international agencies such as the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, the UN Development Program, UNESCO, and the FAO.
The establishment and renewal of relations with many countries since the late 1980s led to the inauguration of courses in Russian in 1993. Increased activity can be seen in China, India, and Turkey, too.
Since the Center was founded in 1958, 58,702 people have taken courses in Israel; another 73,463 men and women have taken part in a similar program of traveling courses (abroad). Today 31 experts are spending two to four years in countries around the world as consultants and supervisors of projects such as model farms, ophthalmology, and vocational education.
More than 500 Egyptians took courses in Israel in 1997 and approximately 600 attended traveling courses at the training center in Maryut. A model farm was established in Nubaseid 12 years ago. Approximately 85 Jordanians took courses in 1997, a delegation of five doctors came for short courses, and a model sheep-development project is about to be started. Activity in the PA areas is increasing; in 1997 about 600 people took part in activities on a wide variety of topics (agriculture, planning and development, management, health, and community development).
The Public Affairs Department comprises five divisions: Public Relations, Press, External Relations, Information, and Budget and Administration.
The Public Relations Division, with six sections, is in charge of regular contact with Israeli missions around the world, contacts with people and organizations outside the Ministry, and publications.
The Production Section produces or acquires photographic materials and sends them to the missions for insertion in the local media. It makes sure that information and cultural representatives are kept up-to-date on all news broadcasts and current-events programs.
The Exhibitions Section produces public-relations exhibitions about various aspects of Israel, sometimes to mark special events; the missions take these exhibitions around the world. In 1997 the section produced an exhibition marking the centenary of Zionism; the Vibrant Israel exhibition; and two exhibitions in honor of the jubilee: Israel: from Vision to Life and Horizons: Israel from the Air.
The Economic Information Section provides background material and basic data on developments in the Israeli economy to Israeli representatives and the central office of the Interministry Committee on Economic Information Abroad.
The Regional Section stays in touch with all Israeli missions around the world and reviews their informational activities.
The Special Projects Section prepares informational materials for special events, such as the Year of Zionism, the 50th birthday of the State of Israel, and the Jerusalem Conference of Mayors, and organizes conferences and courses on the media and public relations for representatives abroad.
The Lecturers Section recruits and provides transportation for lecturers on various subjects to boost awareness and knowledge about issues on the agenda.
The Press Division is in charge of the Ministrys spokepersons office, provides guidelines for press work in the missions, and takes care of visiting journalists more than 200 in 1997.
The Division works according to regional "desks" in coordination with the regional departments of the Ministry. The Ministry spokesperson and his deputy serve as contact people for foreign media representatives in Israel in connection with the activities of the Ministrys departments. The Division also maintains contact with the foreign missions in Israel on matters relating to the spokesmans office and the media.
The Public Relations Division is in charge of requests from the public, binational friendship societies, international relations of local government, lectures on subjects within the Ministrys purview, and assistance to organizations and institutions in external relations with their foreign counterparts.
Requests from the public: More than 500 requests from the general public and from official and public agencies were handled in 1997.
International relations of local government: Handling of twin cities, international local-government organizations, conferences, seminars, and events. In 1997 more than 65 requests were received for twin city relationships, especially from Eastern Europe, Asia (primarily China), South America, and Africa; 43 new pacts were signed, with the new twins joining the 400 existing twin cities.
Bilateral friendship societies present Israels side of things and respond to hostile statements by contacting local politicians, publicizing replies, and giving interviews to the media. They also sponsor informational activities conducted by the missions. In 1997, the missions conducted seminars for societies in India, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Finland, Cyprus, and Denmark on political, economic and commercial, tourism, cultural, and media issues. In addition, 23 new friendship societies were founded, producing a total of 349 societies in 51 countries.
The Division conducted two seminars for groups from Israeli friendship societies and dealt with visits to Israel by delegations and individuals from friendship societies in Europe and Africa.
The Information Division reports on political events to Israeli missions around the world and to the general public on three levels: providing raw information in real time (speeches, interviews, statements by the countrys leaders, and decisions); processing and drafting instructions and informational emphases; and sending out information for insertion in the foreign press in a wide variety of languages. The Division handles requests from the missions and the public and is responsible for the functioning of the Israel Information Center, which produces informational publications. The Division is also responsible for the "Israel Embassy" on the Internet, and manages the Foreign Ministrys web site, which is viewed worldwide as Israels official web site. Tens of thousands of surfers weekly enjoy approximately 13,000 Web pages, which contain a great deal of information about Israeli government institutions, the peace process, and various issues on the political and media agenda.
The Cultural and Scientific Relations Department is in charge of a wide variety of cultural, artistic, and scientific relations between Israel and the rest of the world.
Film and Contemporary Music: In the past year the Cultural and Scientific Relations Department provided assistance to dozens of weekly cinematic events abroad, film festivals in Jerusalem and Haifa, and the Israeli booth at the Berlin and Cannes film festivals. It also provided assistance to Israeli filmmakers to participate in about 10 other festivals and dealt with the signing of coproduction agreements with Australia and Argentina. It supported Corinne Allals appearance in Tunis for the opening of the jubilee celebrations, an invitation to directors of foreign cultural institutions to select performers to appear abroad in the jubilee year, and Rinat Gabbais performance in St. Peters Square in Rome.
Scholarships Section: Thanks to student-exchange agreements with 30 countries in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, approximately 100 scholarship recipients arrived in Israel. Most of them attend schools for foreign students at the Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University; others are enrolled in academic study programs in the other universities and the Weizmann Institute.
The Sports Section stays up-to-date regarding competitions and international sports events in Israel and abroad and puts sports institutions in Israel in contact with their counterparts abroad.
The Education Section deals with educational relations between Israel and the education ministries in other countries, in accordance with cultural agreements between the countries concerning educational cooperation, exchanging educational information, dispatching educational experts, and studying the different educational systems.
The Youth Exchange Section provides partial funding and consulting services and forms ties with the Public Council for Youth Exchanges, the agency in charge of this matter for the government.
The Cultural and Scientific Agreements Section implements cultural and scientific agreements with 76 countries. International committees meet once every three years to determine these programs. The section also deals with implementation of 42 scientific agreements to which Israel is a signatory, as well as funds for scientific cooperation with Britain, China, and India.
In 199697, cooperation protocols were signed with several US states, since the federal government does not sign such agreements.
Plastic Arts Section: In 1997, Israel participated in international and biennial exhibitions in Venice, Kassel, Istanbul, and New Delhi. A huge exhibition was also sent to China under the Israeli-Chinese cultural agreement and was a great success.
For the first time, 11 Israeli artists (including Arabs and a Druze) took part in a joint exhibition for Israeli and Jordanian artists in Amman, under the auspices of the King of Jordan.
The Literature Section handled translations of the works of the best authors through the Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature, helped authors and poets attend literary conferences around the world, ensured that Israel was represented in book fairs around the world, and supported international literary events in Israel (the Jerusalem International Book Fair and the Fourth Poets Festival in Mishkenot Shaananim).
The Legal Adviser heads the Legal Department and advises the Foreign Minister, the Ministry administration, the departments and divisions of the Ministry, Israeli missions abroad, and other State agencies.
In 1997, the Legal Department took part in the negotiating committees on implementation of the peace process and monitored implementation of the interim agreement with the Palestinians (especially with respect to the opening of the airport in Rafiah, construction of the seaport in Gaza, and free passage between Judea-Samaria and Gaza) and implementation of the peace treaty with Jordan, inter alia by taking part in the implementation committees. The Department also participated in interministry consultations to determine and draw the borders of the State.
The International Treaty Division spearheaded the signing of bilateral accords with 37 countries in many areas, including the economy; technology; crime; culture, education, and science; protection of investments; taxes; postage and telecommunications; and agriculture; and a multilateral agreement on international exhibitions.
The Claims Division dealt with the legal problems of the Israeli authorities and Israeli citizens abroad, as well as the claims of foreign governments and their representatives and citizens in Israel, including problems relating to the immunity and absolute privileges of foreign diplomats.
The Inspector-General reviews the functioning of the missions and Ministry units in light of the Civil Service and Foreign Service statutes, in terms of efficiency, savings, and accomplishment of tasks, and examines the missions contacts and relations with various groups, including the Jewish communities.
The Inspector-General also looks into complaints by Ministry employees and works on fostering good working relations and human relations.
The Control and Internal Audit Division is in charge of internal auditing, inter alia conducting annual audits of the missions, finding flaws, proposing ways of correcting them, and preparing responses to the State Comptrollers annual report.
The Administrative Department completed an organizational reform in order to adapt the Ministrys activities to the new challenges and the changing international system. From time to time the Ministry reviews the deployment of its diplomatic missions worldwide to adapt it to the changing political situation. Progress in the peace process and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Arab countries required a special logistical effort to set up and staff official missions in Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania.
The Material Resources Subdepartment continues to establish new missions (Dakar, Angola, Belgrade, Dublin, Harare, and the Vatican) and takes care of the special preparations required for the establishment of missions in Arab countries.
In 1997 infrastructure work began on the area slated for construction of the Foreign Ministry building in the National Government Center. Planning of the actual building is in its final stages; construction will begin when the ground has been fully prepared.
The Communications Subdepartment invested extensive resources in computerizing the consular services in the missions in order to streamline the service provided to the public.
In 1997, computerization of communication and work methods in the Ministry and the missions was completed. The changes included the installation of new personal-computer networks for about 600 users in Israel and computer networks in 35 missions, enabling users to perform a variety of functions at their own desks. The installation of modern switchboards in many of the missions was completed, through great effort by Subdepartment employees, with an emphasis on saving on communication costs by using innovative technologies.
Twenty-unit computer programs were also developed (or upgraded) in the Ministry, an Intranet system was installed (with its own infrastructure) in all of the Ministrys buildings to search for information based on needs, and efforts were made to assimilate designated systems (new and old) so that work could be done by computer instead of manually.