Bilateral Relations
Here you find information on the bilateral relations between Austria and Israel.
Chronology of important events
- 1950: Israel and Austria establish consular relations; opening of Austrian Consulate General in Tel Aviv and Israeli Consulate in Vienna
- 1952: Israel officially renounces claims for „restitution“-payments by Austria
- 1953: Start of official negotiations on restitution between Austria and the Committee for Jewish Claims on Austria
- 1956: Status of the Israeli Consulate raised to „Delegation”, entering into full diplomatic relations
- 1957: Status of the Austrian Consulate General raised to „Delegation”
- 1959: Upgrade of both Delegations to Embassies
- 1973: Prime Minister Golda Meir in Vienna March
- 1974: Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky on Fact-Finding-Mission for “International Socialists” in Israel
- 1986: Kurt Waldheim elected as Austrian Federal President; downgrading of diplomatic relations by Israel
- 1990: downgrading of the Austrian diplomatic representation to level of Chargé d’Affaires
- June 1992: End of term of Federal President Kurt Waldheim; restoration of full diplomatic relations
- June 1993: Federal Chancellor Franz Vranitzky in Israel; speech at the Hebrew University Jerusalem admitting Austria’s “moral responsibility, because many Austrians welcomed the “Anschluss”, supported the Nazi-regime and helped it to function” and asking “for forgiveness of those who survived and forgiveness of the relatives of the victims”
- November 1994: Federal President Thomas Klestil in Israel
- 1995: Establishment of the „National Fund of the Republic of Austria for Victims of National Socialism“
- September 1997: Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu visits Austria
- March 1998: Counter visit by Federal Chancellor Viktor Klima
- October 1999: Austrian parliamentary elections; Large gain for the Freedom Party (FPÖ); downgrading of diplomatic relations by Israel to level of Chargé d´Affaires
- 17 January 2001: Signing of the Washington Agreement by Austria, USA and various Jewish organizations
- July 2003: Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner visits Israel; normalisation of diplomatic relations
- November 2003: Return visit by Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom to Austria
- October 2004: Moshe Katsav first Israeli President on State Visit to Austria
- 2006: 50 years of diplomatic relations
- December 2008 Austrian Federal President Heinz Fischer visits Israel
- August 2009 opening of "Tel Aviv Beach" in Vienna by the Mayor of Vienna Michael Häupl and the Mayor of Tel Aviv-Jafo Ron Huldai
- October 2009 Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman visits Vienna
- February 2010 Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Spindelegger visits Israel
- May 2010 Austrian Vice Chancellor Josef Pröll visits Israel
- June 2010 Austrian Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann visits Israel
- June 2011 Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman visits Vienna
- September 2011 Inauguration of "Coffee Chat" project by Mayor of Vienna Michael Häupl and Mayor of Tel Aviv-Jafo Ron Huldai
(based on: „Gratwanderungen“, Helga Embacher, Margit Reiter)
