Israel–North Macedonia relations

Israel–North Macedonia relations refer to the bilateral political relations between Israel and North Macedonia. North Macedonia has an embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel does not have a resident ambassador.

President of Israel Reuven Rivlin with Stevo Pendarovski
"Pomegranate" monument in Jerusalem dedicated to the memory of the Macedonian Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
Israel–North Macedonia relations
Map indicating locations of Israel and North Macedonia

Israel
North Macedonia

Relations between the two states are close and friendly.[1]

History

The two countries established diplomatic relations on 7 December 1995.[2] The establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and North Macedonia was done under the then-provisional UN reference for North Macedonia - the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - however, Israel later changed its position and recognised North Macedonia under its former constitutional name Republic of Macedonia,[3][4] thus being one of 133[5] countries in the world recognising North Macedonia under its chosen name. North Macedonia is one of the few countries in Europe (and in the world) with no political and diplomatic relations with Palestine, of any kind.

Both countries are Ottoman successor states.

Jews in North Macedonia

The existence of Jews in North Macedonia dates back to antiquity.[6]

Today the Jewish community in North Macedonia is a small, but highly respected community, which serves as a bridge of communication between North Macedonia and Israel.[7] It numbers about 200 people, of which most of them live in the capital Skopje, but also in the town of Štip.[8]

The Jewish organizations of North Macedonia have expressed on several occasions that there is no antisemitism in North Macedonia.[9][10][11] After a meeting with the new ambassador from Israel to North Macedonia at the end of 2009, they told him that North Macedonia might be the only country where antisemitism cannot be noticed and that the Jews in North Macedonia feel secure, having the feeling to live in a country that loves Jews and has very good relations with Israel.[10][11]

The Jewish community of North Macedonia has a strong connection to the Jewish community in Serbia[12] and maintains long and close relations with the American Jewish Committee.[13]

In 2002, North Macedonia became one of few countries that has settled claims against heirless Jewish properties, by adopting a resolution that resolved outstanding Jewish communal property claims.[13]

The Government of the Republic of North Macedonia built a Holocaust Memorial Center in North Macedonia's capital Skopje, which is one of the biggest Holocaust memorial centers in the world. The State of Israel highly appreciates that kind of nourishing the Holocaust memory and testimonies of the Jewish presence in the country.[14]

Jews of North Macedonia in Israel

A small-medium Jewish community of North Macedonia has a very long presence in the Mediterranean coast, especially in Gush Dan and in the Northern Israel.

See also

References
  1. Потврдени пријателските односи со Израел Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine (in Macedonian). Dnevnik. 22-12-2010
  2. Republic of Macedonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Archived 2011-09-30 at the Wayback Machine (in English)
  3. Dnevnik Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Израел ја напушта референцата БЈРМ (in Macedonian). Utrinski vesnik. S.J.; No. 1520, 09-07-2004
  5. Bolivia is 131. country to use Macedonia's constitutional name Archived 2011-01-23 at the Wayback Machine Ekonom:east Media Group. 20-01-2011
  6. Alboher, Shlomo (2010). "The Jews of Monastir, Macedonia: The Life and Times of the Departed Jewish Community of Monastir", p. 17
  7. PM Gruevski meets Israeli President Peres Archived 2012-04-05 at the Wayback Machine Macedonian Information Agency. 05-01-2010
  8. The Jewish Community of Macedonia Archived 2010-08-13 at the Wayback Machine European Jewish Congress. 20-02-2006
  9. Нема антисемитизам и ксенофобија во Македонија Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine (in Macedonian). Žurnal MK. 16-02-2011
  10. No Antisemitism in Macedonia The Free Library. 17-12-2009
  11. Во Македонија нема антисемитизам Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine (in Macedonian). Dnevnik. Hristo Ivanovski; 11-12-2009
  12. Reassembling the Balkan Puzzle The Forward. Eli Rosenblatt; 23-05-2008
  13. AJC Praises Macedonia for Historic Holocaust Restitution Accord Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine American Jewish Committee. 28-12-2007
  14. "Macedonian Information Agency". Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
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