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Israel is a country/territory in the Middle East, located near the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, where the majority of events chronicled in Christian and Jewish scriptures took place. Israel is one of the major players in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an ongoing territorial dispute between Jews and largely Muslim Arabs in which both populations claim possession of the land. As a result of this dispute, two separate nations were formed: Israel and Palestine (composed of two smaller territories, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip).
Although Israel has been admitted to the United Nations, as of December 2020, Israel was recognized by only 165 of the U.N.'s 193 member countries. A subset of U.N. members—most of which are Arab countries and/or Muslim counties—have refused to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation. This is largely an act of political solidarity with Palestine, whose sovereignty is recognized by approximately 139 U.N. members. Determining which countries do and do not recognize Israel or Palestine is a surprisingly complex task, as some countries have pledged their recognition, but subsequently withdrawn it or simply severed political relations without formally declaring a change of policy.
At midnight on May 14, 1948, the Provisional Government of Israel issued the Israeli Declaration of Independence, a proclamation that both established the new State of Israel and declared its independence. On the same day as its creation, the United States became the first country to recognize Israel. President Harry Truman recognized the provisional Jewish government as the de facto authority of the new Jewish state. Israel has the highest Jewish population worldwide. On May 15, 1948, the day following Israel’s declaration, the first Arab-Israeli war broke out.
On May 11, 1949, nearly a year to the day after Israel's creation, the United Nations General Assembly confirmed Resolution 273, which approved Israel’s application for membership, making Israel the 59th member of the United Nations. The vote was 37 to 12 (with nine abstentions), with many countries having already recognized Israel before the official U.N. vote. Of those who voted in favor, Cuba and Venezuela have since withdrawn their recognition of Israel. Of those who voted against Israel’s admittance, six were members of the Arab League. The debate over Israel’s sovereignty continues to this day.
Of the countries that do not recognize Israel, 16 belong to the Arab League, which has 22 full members and five observer members (note: Syria's membership is currently suspended and Venezuela is an observer state without voting privileges). Four additional members of the Arab League that had previously withheld recognition: Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, formally recognized Israel in 2020. Moreover, 24 of the countries that do not recognize Israel are members of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Country | Recognizes Israel | Date Recognized | Arab League Membership | Organisation of Islamic Cooperation | Additional Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
India | 09-17-1950 | Observer | |||
China | 03-01-1949 | ||||
United States | 05-14-1948 | ||||
Nigeria | 01-01-1960 | Precise month and day unconfirmed. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored May 1992. | |||
Brazil | 02-07-1949 | Observer | |||
Russia | 05-17-1948 | As U.S.S.R. Rescinded 1967, restored Oct. 1991. | |||
Ethiopia | 10-24-1961 | ||||
Mexico | 05-11-1949 | ||||
Japan | 05-15-1952 | ||||
Egypt | 03-26-1979 | Full | |||
Philippines | 05-11-1949 | ||||
DR Congo | 06-26-1960 | Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored May 1982. | |||
Vietnam | 07-12-1993 | ||||
Turkey | 03-28-1949 | ||||
Germany | 05-12-1965 | As West Germany. | |||
Thailand | 09-26-1950 | ||||
United Kingdom | 05-13-1949 | ||||
Tanzania | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Feb. 1995. | ||||
France | 01-24-1949 | ||||
South Africa | 05-24-1948 | ||||
Italy | 02-08-1949 | ||||
Kenya | 12-01-1963 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. Rescinded Nov. 1973, restored Dec. 1988. | |||
Myanmar | 07-13-1953 | ||||
Colombia | 02-01-1949 | ||||
South Korea | 04-10-1962 | ||||
Sudan | 10-23-2020 | Full | |||
Uganda | Original date unverified. Rescinded Mar. 1972, restored July 1994. | ||||
Spain | 01-17-1986 | ||||
Argentina | 02-14-1949 | ||||
Canada | 05-11-1949 | ||||
Poland | 05-18-1948 | Rescinded 1967, restored Feb. 1990. | |||
Morocco | 11-01-1994 | Full | Rescinded Oct. 2000, restored Dec. 2020. | ||
Angola | 04-16-1992 | ||||
Ukraine | 05-11-1949 | ||||
Uzbekistan | 02-21-1992 | ||||
Mozambique | 07-23-1993 | ||||
Ghana | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Aug. 1994. | ||||
Peru | 02-09-1949 | ||||
Madagascar | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1983, restored Jan. 1994. | ||||
Ivory Coast | 02-15-1961 | Rescinded Nov. 1973, restored Feb. 1986. | |||
Nepal | 06-01-1960 | ||||
Cameroon | 09-15-1960 | Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Aug. 1986. | |||
Australia | 01-29-1949 | ||||
Burkina Faso | 07-05-1961 | Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Oct. 1993. | |||
Sri Lanka | 09-16-1950 | ||||
Malawi | 07-01-1964 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Zambia | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Dec. 1991. | ||||
Kazakhstan | 04-10-1992 | ||||
Chad | 01-10-1961 | Observer | Rescinded Nov. 1972, restored Jan. 2019. | ||
Chile | 02-05-1949 | ||||
Romania | 06-11-1948 | ||||
Senegal | 01-01-1960 | Precise month and day unconfirmed. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Aug. 1994. | |||
Guatemala | 05-19-1948 | ||||
Netherlands | 05-11-1949 | ||||
Ecuador | 02-02-1949 | ||||
Cambodia | 08-30-1960 | Rescinded 1975, restored Oct. 1993. | |||
Zimbabwe | 11-26-1993 | ||||
Guinea | Original date unverified. Rescinded June 1967, restored July 2016. | ||||
Benin | 12-05-1961 | ||||
Rwanda | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Oct. 1994. | ||||
Burundi | Rescinded May 1973, restored Mar. 1995. | ||||
Bolivia | 02-22-1949 | Granted 1949, rescinded 2009, restored 2019 | |||
South Sudan | 07-28-2011 | ||||
Haiti | 02-26-1949 | ||||
Belgium | 01-15-1950 | ||||
Jordan | 10-26-1994 | Full | |||
Dominican Republic | 12-29-1948 | ||||
United Arab Emirates | 09-15-2020 | Full | |||
Honduras | 11-08-1948 | ||||
Czech Republic | 05-18-1948 | As Czechoslovakia. Rescinded June 1967, restored Jan. 1993. | |||
Sweden | 02-15-1949 | ||||
Tajikistan | 04-01-1992 | ||||
Papua New Guinea | |||||
Portugal | 05-12-1977 | ||||
Azerbaijan | 04-07-1992 | ||||
Greece | 03-15-1949 | Observer | |||
Hungary | 05-24-1948 | Rescinded 1967, restored Sept. 1989. | |||
Togo | Rescinded Sept 1973, restored June 1987. | ||||
Austria | 03-15-1949 | ||||
Belarus | 05-11-1949 | ||||
Switzerland | 01-25-1949 | ||||
Sierra Leone | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored May 1992. | ||||
Laos | 02-01-1957 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. Rescinded 1973, restired Dec. 1993. | |||
Turkmenistan | 10-06-1993 | ||||
Kyrgyzstan | 03-01-1992 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Paraguay | 09-06-1948 | ||||
Nicaragua | 05-18-1948 | Rescinded Jun. 2010, restored Mar. 2017. | |||
Bulgaria | 12-04-1948 | Rescinded June 1967, restored May 1990. | |||
Serbia | 05-18-1948 | ||||
El Salvador | 09-11-1948 | ||||
Republic of the Congo | 11-09-1960 | Rescinded Dec. 1972, restored Oct. 1991. | |||
Denmark | 02-02-1949 | ||||
Singapore | 05-11-1969 | ||||
Finland | 06-11-1948 | ||||
Liberia | 02-11-1949 | Rescinded Nov. 1973, restored Aug. 1983. | |||
Norway | 02-04-1949 | ||||
Slovakia | 05-18-1948 | As Czechoslovakia. Rescinded June 1967, restored Jan. 1993. | |||
Palestine | 01-01-1993 | Full | Palestine itself has only limited recognition and is a non-member observer in the United Nations. Pr... | ||
Central African Republic | Original date unverified. Rescinded 1973, restored 1991. | ||||
Ireland | 02-12-1949 | ||||
New Zealand | 01-29-1949 | ||||
Costa Rica | 06-19-1948 | ||||
Panama | 06-19-1948 | ||||
Croatia | 11-04-1997 | ||||
Georgia | 06-01-1992 | ||||
Eritrea | 05-06-1993 | Observer | |||
Mongolia | 10-02-1991 | ||||
Uruguay | 05-19-1948 | ||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 09-26-1997 | ||||
Moldova | 06-22-1992 | ||||
Namibia | 02-11-1994 | ||||
Armenia | 04-04-1992 | Observer | |||
Lithuania | 01-08-1992 | ||||
Jamaica | 01-01-1962 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Albania | 04-16-1949 | ||||
Gambia | Original date unverified. Rescinded Oct. 1973, restored Sept. 1992. | ||||
Gabon | 09-29-1993 | Rescinded Oct 1973, restored Sept. 1993. | |||
Botswana | Original date unverified. Rescinded 1973, restored Dec. 1993. | ||||
Lesotho | |||||
Guinea Bissau | 03-01-1994 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Slovenia | 04-28-1992 | ||||
Equatorial Guinea | Original date unverified. Rescinded 1973, restored Jan 1994. | ||||
Latvia | 01-06-1992 | ||||
North Macedonia | 12-07-1992 | As Macedonia. | |||
Bahrain | 09-11-2020 | Full | |||
Trinidad and Tobago | 01-01-1962 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Timor Leste | 08-29-2002 | ||||
Estonia | 01-09-1992 | ||||
Cyprus | 01-21-1961 | ||||
Mauritius | 09-29-1993 | Rescinded July 1976, restored Sept. 1993. | |||
Eswatini | 09-01-1968 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Fiji | 08-01-1970 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Guyana | Original date unverified. Rescinded Mar. 1974, restored Mar. 1992. | ||||
Solomon Islands | 01-01-1989 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Bhutan | 12-12-2020 | ||||
Luxembourg | 05-11-1949 | ||||
Montenegro | 07-12-2006 | ||||
Suriname | 02-01-1976 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Malta | 01-01-1965 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Cape Verde | 07-17-1994 | ||||
Belize | 09-06-1984 | ||||
Bahamas | 09-24-1974 | ||||
Iceland | 02-11-1949 | ||||
Vanuatu | 12-16-1993 | ||||
Barbados | 08-29-1967 | ||||
Sao Tome and Principe | 11-01-1993 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Samoa | 06-01-1977 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Saint Lucia | 01-01-1979 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Kiribati | 05-21-1984 | ||||
Seychelles | 09-01-1992 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Grenada | 01-01-1975 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Micronesia | 11-23-1988 | ||||
Tonga | 06-01-1977 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 01-01-1981 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Antigua and Barbuda | 06-22-1983 | ||||
Andorra | 04-13-1994 | ||||
Dominica | 01-01-1978 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 01-01-1984 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Liechtenstein | 01-01-1992 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Monaco | 01-01-1964 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Marshall Islands | 09-16-1987 | ||||
San Marino | 03-01-1995 | ||||
Palau | 10-02-1994 | ||||
Cook Islands | 01-01-2008 | Precise month and day unverified. | |||
Nauru | 12-01-1994 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Tuvalu | 07-01-1984 | Precise day of month unconfirmed. | |||
Niue | 01-01-2008 | Precise month and day unverified. | |||
Vatican City | 06-15-1994 | Vatican City is a non-member observer state in the United Nations. | |||
Indonesia | Greatly limits visits from Israelis. | ||||
Pakistan | Denies Israeli passports. Pakistani passports are denied by Israel. | ||||
Bangladesh | Denies Israeli passports. Bangladeshi passports are denied by Israel. | ||||
Iran | 03-14-1950 | Granted 1950, but rescinded Feb. 1979. Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Algeria | Full | Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Iraq | Full | Denies Israeli passports in most circumstances. Iraqi passports are denied by Israel. | |||
Afghanistan | Denies Israeli passports. | ||||
Yemen | Full | Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Malaysia | Denies Israeli passports. Malaysian passports are denied by Israel. | ||||
Saudi Arabia | Full | Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Venezuela | 06-27-1948 | Observer | Granted 1948, but rescinded Jan. 2009. | ||
Niger | Original date unverified. Rescinded Jan. 1973. | ||||
North Korea | |||||
Syria | Full | Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Mali | Granted, but rescinded Jan. 1973. | ||||
Somalia | Full | ||||
Tunisia | 10-03-1994 | Full | Granted 1994, but rescinded Oct. 2000. | ||
Cuba | 01-14-1949 | Granted 1949, but rescinded Sept. 1973. | |||
Libya | Full | Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Lebanon | Full | Denies Israeli passports. Also denies entry to anyone whose passport includes Israel stamp. | |||
Oman | 01-28-1996 | Full | Rescinded Oct. 2000. | ||
Mauritania | 10-28-1999 | Full | Granted 1999, but rescinded Mar. 2010. | ||
Kuwait | Full | Denies Israeli passports. | |||
Qatar | 04-01-1996 | Full | Precise day of month unconfirmed. Rescinded Feb. 2009. Denies Israeli passports. | ||
Djibouti | Full | ||||
Comoros | Full | ||||
Maldives | 10-29-1965 | Granted 1965, but rescinded 1974. | |||
Brunei | Denies Israeli passports. Brunei passports are denied by Israel. |
168 countries recognize Israel as a sovereign nation. Most of the Arab and Muslim countries do not recognize it.