On the 9th February 2025 the Czech Republic and Israel celebrated the 35th anniversary of renewal of their relationship disrupted by 40 years of Communist regime. The Czech Republic, especially since the 7th October 2023, has forged a strong friendship, the government of the Czech Republic, its parliament, and the general public are unwavering, have shown unequivocal support for Israel.
Czechoslovakia became one of the world’s earliest countries to recognize the newly declared State of Israel—just 4 days after independence—and established full diplomatic relations on July 3, 1948. In late 1948, despite a Communist coup back home, Czechoslovakia supported Israel with essential military aid: aircraft, rifles, machine guns, ammunition—and trained hundreds of pilots. This support was instrumental in securing Israel’s victory in the War of Independence, but during the early Communist era, however, ties cooled sharply.
The turning point arrived with the Velvet Revolution in late 1989. Under President Václav Havel, Czechoslovakia restored diplomatic ties on February 9, 1990, with Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Arens and Czech FM Jiří Dienstbier signing the agreement in Prague. In April 1990, Havel became the first head of a former Soviet-bloc state to visit Israel, solidifying the renewed partnership.
