International recognition of Israel


As of January 2026, the State of Israel is recognized as a sovereign state by 166 of the other 192 member states of the United Nations, or approximately 86% of all UN members. The State of Israel was formally established by the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948, and was admitted to the United Nations as a full member state on 11 May 1949. It also maintains bilateral ties with all of the UNSC Permanent Five. 29 member states have either never formally recognized Israel or have withdrawn their recognition; others have severed diplomatic relations without explicitly withdrawing their recognition. Additionally, many non-recognizing countries have challenged Israel's existence—predominantly those in the Muslim world—due to significant animosity stemming from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Arab–Israeli conflict.

History

On 14 May 1948, the Israeli Declaration of Independence declared the establishment a Jewish state in part of the former British Mandate of Palestine, with borders formally established by the Green Line of the 1949 Armistice Agreements at the end of the 1948 Palestine war. The Arab League was opposed to any partition and to the establishment of Israel, and an Arab coalition jointly invaded the territory of the newly formed country one day after its independence, sparking the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
Following Israel's establishment, the Israeli provisional government was established to govern the Yishuv; and while military operations were still in progress, it was promptly granted de facto recognition by the United States, followed by Iran, Guatemala, Iceland, Nicaragua, Romania, and Uruguay. The Soviet Union was the first country to grant de jure recognition to Israel on 17 May 1948, followed by Nicaragua, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Poland. The United States extended de jure recognition after the first Israeli election, on 31 January 1949.
By the late 1960s, Israel had established diplomatic relations with almost all of the countries of Western Europe, North America, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa combined.
To put additional diplomatic, economic, and military pressure on Israel in the wake of the 1967 Arab–Israeli War, oil-producing Arab countries imposed an oil embargo on countries that had bilateral relations with Israel. As a result, many African and Asian countries broke off their ties with Israel. The Soviet Union also shifted its support in favour of the Arab cause against Israel during this time, leading most countries of the Eastern Bloc to sever diplomatic ties in 1967; these included the Soviet Union itself, as well as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Other countries in the Soviet sphere of influence, such as the People's Republic of China and Mongolia, also did not establish relations with Israel. Diplomatic relations with these countries were restored or established following the collapse of the Eastern Bloc in 1989. The Soviet Union restored relations in October 1991, and new countries that had gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union also recognised Israel in their own right. China established relations in January 1992.
On 1 September 1967, the then-eight members of the Arab League issued the Khartoum Resolution, which included three pledges that forbade recognition, peace, and negotiations with Israel. However, Egypt, Jordan, and Mauritania gradually recognized Israel, though Mauritania broke off ties and withdrew recognition in 2010. As part of the 2020 Abraham Accords, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco all established normalized bilateral ties with Israel. Pressure was again exerted by the Arab League after the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, which led Cuba, Mali, and the Maldives to break off ties with Israel. Niger severed bilateral ties with Israel during the Second Intifada, and Venezuela broke off ties after the 2008–2009 Gaza War.
Following Israel's recognition of and entering into negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization, many African, Asian, and Arab countries either restored or established diplomatic relations with Israel. The Vatican began a bilateral relationship with Israel in 1994. Some countries broke or suspended relations during the 2006 Lebanon War and after the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Although Guinea broke diplomatic ties with Israel in 1967, Israel's extensive support for Guinea during its fight against an Ebola virus epidemic led to the re-establishment of bilateral relations in 2016. Nicaragua restored relations in March 2017; Chad did likewise in January 2019. The most recent country to establish diplomatic relations with Israel was Bhutan, on 12 December 2020.

United Nations membership

On 15 May 1948, one day after its independence, Israel applied for membership with the United Nations, but the application was not acted on by the Security Council. Israel's second application was rejected by the Security Council on 17 December 1948 by a 5-to-1 vote, with 5 abstentions. Syria was the sole negative vote; the United States, Argentina, Colombia, the Soviet Union, and the Ukrainian SSR voted in favour; and Belgium, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, and France abstained.
Israel's application was renewed in 1949 after the first Israeli election. By Security Council Resolution 69 on 4 March 1949, the UN Security Council voted 9-to-1 in favour of Israeli membership, with Egypt voting against and the United Kingdom abstaining. Those voting in favour were China, France, the United States, the Soviet Union, Argentina, Canada, Cuba, Norway, and the Ukrainian SSR.
On 11 May 1949, the UN General Assembly, by the requisite two-thirds majority of its then-58 members, approved the application to admit Israel to the UN by General Assembly Resolution 273. The vote in the General Assembly was 37 to 12, with 9 abstentions. Those that voted in favour of Israel were: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, the Byelorussian SSR, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, the Ukrainian SSR, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia. Those that voted against were six of the then-seven members of the Arab League as well as Afghanistan, Burma, Ethiopia, India, Iran, and Pakistan. Those abstaining were: Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, El Salvador, Greece, Siam, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Many of the countries that voted in favour or had abstained had already recognized Israel before the UN vote, at least on a de facto basis. Of these countries, Cuba and Venezuela have since withdrawn recognition.

Present situation

, 166 of the 192 other member states of the United Nations recognize Israel. 26 UN member states do not formally recognize Israel: 14 members of the Arab League ; 10 non-Arab members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ; and 2 other members Cuba and North Korea. In 2002, the Arab League proposed the recognition of Israel by Arab countries as a pathway towards a resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict under the Arab Peace Initiative. Following the Abraham Accords, which were signed in September 2020 between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the Palestinian National Authority condemned any Arab agreement with Israel as dishonourable, describing them as a betrayal to the Palestinian cause and a blow to their quest for an independent Palestinian state.
The passports of some countries are not valid for travel to Israel, including Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan. Thirteen countries do not accept Israeli passports: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen. Some of these countries also do not accept passports of other countries whose holder has an Israeli visa or stamp on it. The stamp may be a visa stamp, or a stamp on entry or departure. Because of these issues, Israeli immigration controls do not stamp passports with an entry visa, instead issuing a separate insert which is discarded on departure. However, a stamp of another country which indicates that the person has entered Israel may frustrate that effort. For example, if an Egyptian departure stamp is used in any passport at the Taba Border Crossing, that is an indication that the person entered Israel, and a similar situation arises for land crossings into Jordan. Some countries also ban direct flights and overflights to and from Israel. In August 2020, the United Arab Emirates permitted direct flights from Israel, and Saudi Arabia and Bahrain authorized overflights for such flights. On 8 October 2020, Israel and Jordan reached an agreement to allow flights to cross over both countries' airspace.

States that recognize Israel

UN member states

#StateDate of de facto recognitionDate of de jure recognitionNotes
—16 04 1949Diplomatic relations established on 20 August 1991.
—13 04 1994
—16 04 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—22 06 1983Date diplomatic relations established
—14 02 1949
—4 04 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—29 01 1949
15 03 194908 05 1956Date diplomatic relations established. Prior to that, the two countries had maintained consular relations since 1950. Legations were upgraded to embassy status in 1959.
—7 04 1992Date diplomatic relations established.
11 9 202015 9 2020On 15 09 2020, an agreement was signed to normalize relations.
—29 08 1967Date diplomatic relations established
11 05 194926 05 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—15 01 1950
—6 09 1984Date diplomatic relations established. Relations suspended in 2023 during the Gaza war.
—05 12 1961Date diplomatic relations established. Relations severed in October 1973, and resumed in July 1992.
—12 12 2020Date diplomatic relations established
22 02 194924 02 1949Relations severed in January 2009, and restored in November 2019. Relations severed in 2023 during the Gaza war, but restored again in December 2025.
—26 09 1997Date diplomatic relations established
After the war in 1973, Botswana was one of only five countries in Africa that did not break off relations with Israel.
—07 02 1949
—04 12 1948Relations severed on 10 June 1967, and restored on 3 May 1990.
—05 07 1961Date diplomatic relations established. Relations severed in October 1973, and re-established in October 1993.
Relations severed in May 1973, and restored in March 1995.
—30 08 1960Date diplomatic relations established. Cambodia broke off relations in 1975; they were restored on 5 October 1993.
—15 09 1960Date diplomatic relations established. Relations severed in October 1973 and restored in August 1986.
—11 05 1949
—17 07 1994Date diplomatic relations established
Relations were severed in October 1973, were resumed in January 1991.
—10 01 1961Relations were established in 1961, but severed on 28 November 1972. In 2005, reports emerged of a mutual intention to renew diplomatic relations. Relations restored on 20 January 2019.
—11 05 1949
—24 01 1992The Republic of China granted de jure recognition to Israel on 1 March 1949. The two states maintained diplomatic relations until Israel's recognition of the People's Republic of China on 8 January 1950. The PRC, however, did not formally reciprocate until the eventual establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992.
—01 02 1949On 1 May 2024, president Gustavo Petro announced Colombia would break diplomatic ties with Israel, describing Israel's siege of Gaza as a "genocide".
—19 06 1948
—4 09 1997Date diplomatic relations established
—21 1 1961Date diplomatic relations established. They had been agreed to on 17 August 1960, but final establishment was postponed due to pressure from Arab nations.
—18 05 1948Recognition extended under Czechoslovakia. Relations under Czechoslovakia were severed between June 1967 and February 1990. Diplomatic relations with the Czech Republic were established 1 January 1993.
—26 06 1960Date diplomatic relations established. Ties severed on 4 October 1973, and restored on 13 May 1982.
02 02 194912 07 1950
—Date diplomatic relations established
—29 12 1948
—29 08 2002
—02 02 1949
19 11 197726 03 1979Signatory to the Khartoum Resolution. Later became the first Arab state to recognize Israel, with the Egypt–Israel peace treaty.
—11 09 1948
Relations severed in October 1973, and resumed in January 1994.
—6 5 1993Date diplomatic relations established
—09 01 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—
—24 10 1961Prior to de jure recognition, Ethiopia maintained consular relations with Israel since 1956. Relations were broken in October 1973, and resumed in November 1989.
—23 11 1988Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
11 06 194818 03 1949
—24 01 1949
—29 09 1993Relations severed in October 1973, and resumed in September 1993.
—Relations severed in October 1973, and resumed in September 1992
—1 06 1992Date diplomatic relations established
10 09 1952 12 05 1965Date diplomatic relations established. Prior to this, Germany signed the Reparations agreement with Israel. East Germany never had diplomatic relations with Israel during its existence.
—Relations broken in October 1973, and resumed in August 1994
15 03 194921 05 1990Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
—19 05 1948
—Broke diplomatic relations with Israel on 12 June 1967, and restored relations on July 20, 2016.
—Date diplomatic relations established
—Broke off relations in March 1974, restored in March 1992.
26 02 1949Date diplomatic relations established
11 09 19488 11 1948
24 05 194801 06 1948Relations broken in 1967, and restored on 19 September 1989.
11 02 1949
—17 09 1950
12 02 1949
08 02 194919 01 1950
15 02 196124 05 1961Date diplomatic relations established. Prior to this date, it had maintained trade relations since 15 February 1961. Relations severed in November 1973, and resumed in February 1986.
29 08 1962Date diplomatic relations established
—15 05 1952
—26 10 1994Signatory to the Khartoum Resolution. Recognized Israel in the Israel–Jordan peace treaty.
—10 04 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—Severed relations in November 1973, resumed in December 1988.
—21 05 1984Date diplomatic relations established
—
—Date diplomatic relations established. Laos broke off relations in 1973, and restored them on 6 December 1993.
—6 01 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—
11 02 1949Relations severed in November 1973, and resumed in August 1983.
—
—8 01 1992Date diplomatic relations established
11 05 194916 01 1950
—Relations severed in October 1973, and resumed in January 1994.
—Date diplomatic relations established
Date diplomatic relations established
—16 09 1987
—28 10 1999Diplomatic relations suspended 6 March 2009, severed 21 March 2010. No withdrawal of recognition stated.
—Diplomatic relations severed July 1976, restored September 1993.
11 05 194904 04 1952
—22 06 1992
—
—2 10 1991
—12 07 2006
1 09 199410 12 2020Closed Israeli office and suspended relations in October 2000. On 10 December 2020, an agreement was announced to normalize relations.
—23 7 1993
—13 07 1953Date full diplomatic relations established
—11 02 1994
—
—1 06 1960Date diplomatic relations established. First South Asian nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel.
11 05 194916 01 1950
29 01 194928 07 1950
—18 05 1948Diplomatic relations suspended June 2010 and restored in March 2017. Relations suspended again in October 2024.
Relations broken in October 1973, were resumed in May 1992.
—07 12 1995Date diplomatic relations established
04 02 1949Date Norway recognized Israel
—2 10 1994
—19 06 1948
—1978
6 9 19487 9 1948
—09 02 1949
11 05 194913 05 1957
—18 05 1948Relations were broken in 1967, restored in February 1990.
12 05 1977
—09 11 1960Date diplomatic relations established. Broke relations on 31 December 1972, resumed in August 1991.
11 06 194812 06 1948
—17 05 1948Recognition extended as part of the Soviet Union. Relations broken in 1967, restored on 19 October 1991.
—Relations severed in October 1973, and restored in October 1994.
—Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
—1 03 1995
—Date diplomatic relations established
10 11 1960Date diplomatic relations established. Relations broken in October 1973, and resumed in August 1994.
—31 01 1992Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
—Relations broken in October 1973, and resumed in May 1992.
—11 05 1969Date diplomatic relations established
—18 05 1948Recognition extended under Czechoslovakia. Relations under Czechoslovakia were severed between June 1967 and February 1990. Diplomatic relations with Slovakia were established 1 January 1993.
—28 04 1992
—
24 05 194814 05 1949
—10 04 1962Date diplomatic relations established
—28 07 2011Date given is the date full diplomatic relations were established.
17 01 1986
16 09 1950
23 10 2020—On 23 October 2020, an agreement was announced to normalize relations.
—
15 02 194913 06 1950
28 01 194918 03 1949
—
—Relations broken in October 1973, and resumed in February 1995.
26 09 1950
—Relations severed in September 1973, and restored in June 1987.
—Date diplomatic relations established
31 08 1962Date diplomatic relations established
28 03 194912 03 1950Downgraded ties with Israel to second secretary level in September 2011, and restored full diplomatic relations in June 2016.
—6 10 1993Date diplomatic relations established
—Date diplomatic relations established
—Broke relations on 30 March 1972, and restored in July 1994.
11 05 194926 12 1991
13 08 202015 9 2020On 15 09 2020, an agreement was signed to normalize relations.
13 05 194928 04 1950
14 05 194831 01 1949First country to recognize Israel.
—19 05 1948First Latin American country to recognize Israel.
—21 02 1992Date full diplomatic relations established
—16 12 1993Date diplomatic relations established
—27 06 1948Relations severed in January 2009. No withdrawal of recognition stated.
—12 07 1993Date diplomatic relations established
—Relations broken in October 1973, and resumed in December 1991.
—26 11 1993Date diplomatic relations established