Belgium–Israel relations

Belgium–Israel relations are the bilateral relations between Belgium and Israel. Belgium voted in favor of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947 and recognized the State of Israel on January 15, 1950. Belgium has an embassy in Tel Aviv,[1] and Israel has an embassy in Brussels.[2]

Belgium–Israel relations

Belgium
Israel

In February 2010, a plaque honoring King Albert I, husband of Elizabeth of Bavaria, was unveiled at Albert Square in Tel Aviv in the presence of the Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai and Ambassador Bénédicte Frankinet.

Country comparison
Belgium Israel
Flag
Population 11,420,163 (2018) 8,904,280 (2018)[3]
Area 30,528 km2 (11,787 sq mi) 20,770 km2 (8,019 sq mi)
Population density 372/km2 (963/sq mi) 403/km2 (1,044/sq mi)
Capital Brussels Jerusalem
Largest city Antwerp 520,504 (1,200,000 Metro) Jerusalem 901,302 (1,253,900 Metro)
Largest metro area Brussels 2,120,000 Tel Aviv-Yafo 3,854,000
Government Constitutional monarchy Parliamentary republic
First head of state Erasme Louis Surlet de Chokier Chaim Azriel Weizmann
Current head of state Filipe, King of the Belgians Reuven Rivlin
Official language Dutch, French, German Hebrew
Main religions 52.9% Catholic, 2.1% Protestant, 1.6% Orthodox, 4.1% Other Christians,

17.1% Agnostic, 14.9% Atheist, 5.2% Muslim, 2.1% Other

 75.4% Jews, 20.89% Muslim, 7.8% others
Ethnic groups 47%% Flemings, 28% Walloons, 1% Germans, 1% Turks 23% Others 75.4% Jews, 20.6% Arab, 4.1% others
GDP (nominal) US$542.8 billion ($46,198.64 per capita) US$370.6 billion ($46,376 per capita)
Military expenditures $4.2 billion (0.9% of GDP) $23.2 billion (7.6% of GDP)
Military troops 29,925 176,500
English speakers 60% 84.97%
Labour forces 5,300,000 4,198,000

State visitis
King Baudouin's visit to Israel 1964

King Albert visited Tel Aviv in 1933 and was hosted by Meir Dizengoff.

King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola visited Israel in 1964.[4]

History

In 1975, Belgium voted against the UN resolution equating Zionism with racism. It helped Israel establish informal ties with Tunisia and join the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) at the UN. Many cultural, scientific and economic bilateral agreements have been signed, and a number of Belgium-Israel friendship associations have been established. The faculty club and guesthouse of Hebrew University of Jerusalem, known as Beit Belgia, was built with the financial aid of the Belgian Friends of the Hebrew University.[4]

In 2009, Israeli exports to Belgium reached $2.37 billion, while imports from Belgium totaled $ 2.56 billion. In 2010, trade increased by approximately 50%.[5]

In March 2010, Israel and Belgium signed a new tax treaty agreement to improve the competitiveness of Israeli companies operating in Belgium and encourage Belgian investment in Israel.[6]

See also

References
  1. Belgian embassy in Tel Aviv
  2. "Israeli embassy in Brussels". Brussels.mfa.gov.il. 2012-03-26. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  3. "The Jewish Voice". Jewish Voice NY. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  4. A short history of the relations between Belgium and Israel
  5. Belgium-Israel trade
  6. "Israel signed a new tax agreement with Belgium" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-09. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
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