60TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN MEXICO AND ISRAEL

On July 1, Mexico and Israel celebrated the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship. During these six decades, both countries have worked hard to strengthen the bilateral relationship and expand their cooperation agenda.

The bilateral relationship is characterized by a frank and respectful dialogue that is reflected in their high-level meetings, the last of which was held during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where President Felipe Calderon and President Shimon Peres discussed bilateral issues, the situation in their respective regions and Mexico’s proposals as president of G20.

There have also been five regular meetings for consultations on issues of mutual interest since 1999 that have strengthened the countries’ bilateral political, economic, scientific, technical, educational and cultural ties.

In the Middle East, Israel is Mexico’s most important trading partner and investor. Since the entry into force of the Mexico-Israel Free Trade Agreement in 2000, trade has increased by 81.5%.

The diplomatic relationship includes economic and trade issues, as well as cooperation in tourism , water resource management and security. In education and cultural issues, there is the "Rosario Castellanos Chair" that was created at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1997, through which a Mexican professor gives a course on social and political issues in Mexico. In addition, Juan Rulfo’s book “El Llano en Llamas” (The Burning Plain and Other Stories) was published in Hebrew.

Mexico and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1952. The Embassy of Mexico in Tel Aviv was inaugurated in 1959.