Armenia to Open Embassy in Israel

The Armenian government will discuss a draft decision to establish an embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the State of Israel. This issue is included in the agenda of the government session scheduled for September 19.

According to the justification, the establishment of an embassy in Tel Aviv as soon as possible (by the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020) is emphasized to ensure the sustainable development of Armenian-Israeli bilateral relations.

"Establishing an embassy in Israel is aimed at giving a new impetus to bilateral relations, directed towards more efficiently protecting Armenia's interests in the region. The establishment of the embassy is also aimed at engaging at the state level in the preservation of the centuries-old Armenian presence, rich historical and cultural heritage, and the rights of the Armenian Apostolic Church to its holy places," the justification states.

The diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the State of Israel were established back in April 1992.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the dynamics of the development of Armenian-Israeli bilateral cooperation, as well as interactions at various levels. It is noteworthy that during the period from 2000 to 2008, the Armenian ambassador to Israel was Edward Nalbandian, with a residence in Paris. From 2012 to 2018, Armenia's ambassador to Egypt, Armen Melikyan, was appointed as the ambassador to Israel as well, and since March 2018, Armen Smbatyan has served as Armenia's ambassador to Israel, with a residence in Yerevan.