Albania–Israel relations

Albania–Israel relations refer to the current, cultural and historical relations of Albania and Israel. Albania has an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel has an embassy in Tirana.[1] Diplomatic relations between the countries were established on August 19, 1991.

Albania–Israel relations

Albania
Israel

Albania has recognized Israel as a state since April 19, 1949.[2]

Country comparison
Albania Israel
Flag
Population 2,876,591 (2017) 8,904,280 (2018)[3]
Area 28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi) 20,770 km2 (8,019 sq mi)
Population density 98/km2 (254/sq mi) 403/km2 (1,044/sq mi)
Capital Tirana Jerusalem
Largest city Tirana – 557,422 (883,996 Metro) Jerusalem – 901,302 (1,253,900 Metro)
Largest metro area Tirana – 883,996 Tel Aviv-Yafo – 3,854,000
Government Parliamentary republic Parliamentary republic
First head of state Progon, Lord of Kruja David Ben-Gurion
Current head of state Ilir Meta Benjamin Netanyahu
Official language Albanian Hebrew, Arabic
Main religions 56.7% Muslim, 2.1% Bektashi
10% Catholic, 6.75% Orthodox, 5.5% Nondenominational
2.5% Atheist, 16.5% Other		 75.4% Jews, 20.89% Muslim, 7.8% others
Ethnic groups 98% Albanians, 1% Greeks, 1% Macedonians 75.4% Jews, 20.6% Arab, 4.1% others
GDP (nominal) US$38.2 billion ($13,274 per capita) US$305 billion ($38,004 per capita)
Military expenditures $169.4 million (1.2% of GDP) $23.2 billion (7.6% of GDP)
Military troops 64,000 176,500
English speakers 38% 84.97%
Labour forces 1,800,000 4,198,000[4]

History

Albania was the only European country occupied by the Axis powers of World War II that ended World War II with a larger Jewish population than before the War.[5][6][7]

Not only did the Albanians protect their own Jews, but they provided refuge for Jews from neighboring countries.[8] The Albanians refused to comply and hand over lists of Jews. Instead they provided the Jewish families with forged documents and helped them disperse in the Albanian population.[9] Some 1,200 Jewish residents and refugees from other Balkan countries were hidden by Albanian families during World War II, according to official records.[10]

During the Cold War, communist Albanian leader Enver Hoxha had strained ties with Israel, due to relationships with Arab states, whereas the local Albanian Jewish community were integrated in Albania.[11] After the collapse of communism, most of Albania's Jewish community emigrated in the 1990s to Israel where in the early twenty first century they number some 550 people.[11] In 1991, diplomatic relations between both countries were established and in 1994, Shimon Peres visited Albania.[11]

In 1999, Israel took in Kosovar Albanian refugees from the Kosovo War, providing them with medical care, food and accommodation.[12]

In 2018, a monument dedicated to President Peres was erected in Tirana to honour his memory.[11] Increasing numbers of Israelis travel to Albania, and in 2019 they amounted to 20,000 tourists.[11]

On 26 November 2019, an earthquake struck the Durrës region of Albania. Israel sent a rescue and service team from the regional council of Mevo'ot HaHermon to Albania.[13] Some days after the earthquake Israel sent 10 troops from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to assess buildings on whether they are structurally sound.[14] On 23 January 2020, President Ilir Meta in Israel met with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and thanked them for their assistance in earthquake relief efforts.[15] At Ramla military base, the Golden Medal of the Eagle was awarded by Meta to the National Rescue Unit of the IDF.[15]

  • Marking Israel's 63rd anniversary in an Albanian synagogue
  • Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin
  • President Ilir Meta thanking IDF soldiers for their earthquake relief assistance
  • Albanian President Ilir Meta awarding the IDF National Rescue Unit the Golden Medal of the Eagle

Ambassadors
AmbassadorTerm served
Dashnor Dervishi 1998–2000
Bashkim Dino 2000–2005
Tonin Gjuraj 2005–2007
Qirjako Kureta 2007–2011
Bujar Skëndo 2011–2016
Bardhyl Canaj 2016–2019
Noah Gal Gendler 2019–Present

See also

References
  1. "Albanian Embassies and Consulates". GoAbroad.com.
  2. "Albania and Israel in Accord To Establish Diplomatic Ties (Published 1991)". Associated Press. August 20, 1991 – via NYTimes.com.
  3. . Jewish Voice NY. 31 December 2015 http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13303:israels-population-reaches-8462000-by-end-of-2015&catid=107:israel&Itemid=290. Retrieved 26 January 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. "Israel - Labor Force". Moody's Analytics. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  5. Sarner. Rescue in Albania: One Hundred Percent of Jews in Albania Rescued from the Holocaust, 1997.
  6. "Muslim Family Who Hid 26 Jews in Albania from the Nazis Honored by ADL" [Anti-Defamation League|http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/4963_52.htm Archived 2009-01-05 at the Wayback Machine]
  7. Escape Through the Balkans: the Autobiography of Irene Grunbaum (University of Nebraska Press, 1996)
  8. Jews had a 100% survival rate in Albania during the one year Nazi occupation:City-Journal.org/ Archived January 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ["What's New at Yad Vashem"|http://www1.yadvashem.org/about_yad/what_new/gershman/temp_index_whats_new_Gershman.html%5B%5D] yadvashem.org. Retrieved on 2009-01-02.
  10. "Israeli Historians Study How Albanian Jews Escaped Holocaust". Archived from the original on 2008-06-09. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  11. "Albanian President Ilir Meta Lauds 'Fantastic' Israel Ties". Albanian Daily News. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  12. "Israeli aid around world disasters". Archived from the original on 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  13. Eichner, Itamar (27 November 2019). "Israel Rescue and Service team assisting emergency operations in Albania". Ynet news. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  14. "IDF sends aid mission to earthquake-stricken Albania". The Times of Israel. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  15. "Albanian president thanks Israeli soldiers for aid after deadly earthquake". Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). 24 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
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