Israel–Namibia relations
Encyclopedia
Israel–Namibia relations refers to the current and historical relationship
between Israel
and Namibia
. Governmental relations were established in 1994, four years after Namibia gained independence from South Africa
. Israel's ambassador to Namibia, Dov Segev-Steinberg, resides in South Africa. While Namibia does not have an embassy in Israel, it has an honorary consul, Gil Dankner, based in Atlit, with jurisdiction over the Haifa
region.
Namibia gained independence in 1990 and the two governments opened bilateral relations in 1994, the same year that democratic elections occurred in neighboring South Africa.
In January 2008, Prime Minister of Namibia Nahas Angula
received a fax which claimed to be from the United States House of Representatives
. It asked Namibia to vote more favorably for Israel at the United Nations
. The United States embassy in Namibia would neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the letter.
In January 2009, during the Gaza War, Namibia condemned Israel, saying "This naked aggression and disproportionate use of force by Israel is unfortunate and only leads to further escalation of violence".
through subsidiary LLD Diamonds, was given 36 concessions worth US$ 180 million by the Namibian government in order to invest in Namibia's diamond industry. As of 2005, LLD Diamonds operated the largest diamond cutting center in Africa
. Based in Windhoek
, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba
called the factory a success story in Namibia's drive to attract Foreign Direct Investment
.
In January 2008, a chartered Cessna 210
crashed shortly after departing from an airport in Windhoek
. The plane, heading to Etosha National Park
, killed five Israelis and four Namibians. The Israelis were expatriates working in the diamond industry heading to Etosha for a holiday break, while the Namibians members of the crew flying the group.
. The National Society for Human Rights
of Namibia called for the ending of relations in 2002 due to "the persistent denial, by the State of Israel, of the inalienable right to self-determination for the people of Palestine". During the 2008-09 Gaza War, opposition parties SWANU and the Namibian Democratic Movement for Change called for the severing of relations.
A number of op-ed's were written criticizing Israel and Namibia's relationship with it. In January 2008, Alexactus Kaure, a Namibian academic and writer, wrote an op-ed piece published in the state-run New Era
newspaper which criticized Namibia's relations with Israel, calling them controversial and comparing them to relations with apartheid South Africa. A year later during the Gaza War, Herbert Jauch, head of research and education at Namibia’s Labour Resource and Research Institute published an op-ed in the New Era calling Israel's actions "...an act of cold-blooded murder and a crime against humanity", while calling for the international isolation of Israel.
Bilateralism
Bilateralism consists of the political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. For example, free trade agreements signed by two states are examples of bilateral treaties. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which refers to the conduct of diplomacy by a...
between Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. Governmental relations were established in 1994, four years after Namibia gained independence from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Israel's ambassador to Namibia, Dov Segev-Steinberg, resides in South Africa. While Namibia does not have an embassy in Israel, it has an honorary consul, Gil Dankner, based in Atlit, with jurisdiction over the Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
region.
History
Prior to Namibian independence, Israel's policy towards Namibia was that of official silence. A number of high profile Israeli leaders visited the then occupied territory. Members of the South African administration of Namibia also visited Israel.- In late 1981, then Israeli Defense Minister Ariel SharonAriel SharonAriel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
visited occupied Namibia along with South African military officials. As part of Israel's military aid to South Africa, Israeli instructors helped train AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n rebels, UNITAUNITAThe National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
, in their fight against the MPLA-led government in Angola. - In 1984, Israel's Ambassador to South Africa, Eliyahu LankinEliyahu LankinEliyahu Lankin was a Revisionist Zionist activist, Irgun member and an Israeli politician.-Biography:Lankin was born in Gomel, and moved with his family to Manchuria at the age of three in the wake of the October Revolution. He studied at the Russian High School in Harbin. At the age of 16, he...
, visited then occupied NamibiaSouth West AfricaSouth-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
and pledged development aid to South African officials. - In April 1985, the Windhoek ObserverWindhoek ObserverThe Windhoek Observer is an English Saturday weekly newspaper, published in Namibia by The Windhoek Observer Ltd. Founded in 1978 by Hannes Smith and Gwen Lister it is the country's oldest and largest circulating weekly....
reported that South African governmental and developmental officials in charge of administering Namibia would visit Israel to study development projects.
Namibia gained independence in 1990 and the two governments opened bilateral relations in 1994, the same year that democratic elections occurred in neighboring South Africa.
In January 2008, Prime Minister of Namibia Nahas Angula
Nahas Angula
Nahas Gideon Angula is the current Prime Minister of Namibia. He entered into office on March 21, 2005, when his appointment was announced by new president Hifikepunye Pohamba during the latter's inauguration. Angula received a master's degree in education from Columbia University.Angula was...
received a fax which claimed to be from the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. It asked Namibia to vote more favorably for Israel at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. The United States embassy in Namibia would neither confirm nor deny the authenticity of the letter.
In January 2009, during the Gaza War, Namibia condemned Israel, saying "This naked aggression and disproportionate use of force by Israel is unfortunate and only leads to further escalation of violence".
Economic relations
Israeli companies are heavily invested in Namibia's diamond industry. In 2004, Africa Israel InvestmentsAfrica Israel Investments
Africa Israel Investments Ltd. - AFI GROUP - is an international holding and investment company based in Yehud, Israel.AFI Group consists of several private and public companies active in areas such as real estate, construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism and leisure.The company’s...
through subsidiary LLD Diamonds, was given 36 concessions worth US$ 180 million by the Namibian government in order to invest in Namibia's diamond industry. As of 2005, LLD Diamonds operated the largest diamond cutting center in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Based in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is the second and current President of Namibia. He won the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections overwhelmingly as the candidate of the South West Africa People's Organisation ruling party, taking office in March 2005. He has also been the President of SWAPO since...
called the factory a success story in Namibia's drive to attract Foreign Direct Investment
Foreign direct investment
Foreign direct investment or foreign investment refers to the net inflows of investment to acquire a lasting management interest in an enterprise operating in an economy other than that of the investor.. It is the sum of equity capital,other long-term capital, and short-term capital as shown in...
.
In January 2008, a chartered Cessna 210
Cessna 210
The Cessna 210 Centurion is a six-seat, high-performance, retractable-gear single-engine general aviation aircraft which was first flown in January 1957 and produced by Cessna until 1985.-Design and development:...
crashed shortly after departing from an airport in Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
. The plane, heading to Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a national park in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia. The park shares boundaries with the regions of Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa....
, killed five Israelis and four Namibians. The Israelis were expatriates working in the diamond industry heading to Etosha for a holiday break, while the Namibians members of the crew flying the group.
Criticism of relations
Some organizations in Namibia called for an end to relations with Israel due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflictIsraeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
. The National Society for Human Rights
National Society for Human Rights
The National Society for Human Rights is a Saudi Arabian human rights organisation closely associated with the Saudi government and established on 10 March 2004, two years after the Human Rights First Society applied unsuccessfully for a licence...
of Namibia called for the ending of relations in 2002 due to "the persistent denial, by the State of Israel, of the inalienable right to self-determination for the people of Palestine". During the 2008-09 Gaza War, opposition parties SWANU and the Namibian Democratic Movement for Change called for the severing of relations.
A number of op-ed's were written criticizing Israel and Namibia's relationship with it. In January 2008, Alexactus Kaure, a Namibian academic and writer, wrote an op-ed piece published in the state-run New Era
New Era (Namibia)
The New Era is a daily national newspaper owned by the government of Namibia. The newspaper is one of four daily national newspapers in the country. It publishes in English and five indigenous languages. New Era was established in 1991 as a weekly newspaper and later was published only bi-weekly....
newspaper which criticized Namibia's relations with Israel, calling them controversial and comparing them to relations with apartheid South Africa. A year later during the Gaza War, Herbert Jauch, head of research and education at Namibia’s Labour Resource and Research Institute published an op-ed in the New Era calling Israel's actions "...an act of cold-blooded murder and a crime against humanity", while calling for the international isolation of Israel.
See also
- Angola–Israel relations
- Israel – South Africa relations
- Israel–Zimbabwe relations