On Feb 5, 1995, Pres Isaias Afwerki was in Israel and met PM Shimon Peres & Pres Ezer Weizman. PM Peres planned to reciprocate by visiting Eritrea in Nov 1995, but the trip was canceled following the assassination of PM Rabin.
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Eritrea & Israel!
Jewish people first settled in Eritrea in the late 19th century, emigrating from Yemen in search of econominc & commercial opportunities. In 1905, the Asmara Hebrew Congregation was formed. During the 1930s, many Jews arrived in Eritrea fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe.
On June 26, 1943 Great Britain proposed the creation of Jewish colonies in Eritrea as the extension Jewish settlement in Palestine. But, this proposal did not materialize.
In 1940s, the British set up an internment camp for the the Irgun & the Stern groups that were attacking British targets. One of these prisoners was the late Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir, who attempted to escape but was captured.
In Nov, 1947 Ethiopia abstained in the UNGA vote on the partitioning of Palestine, which sanctioned the establishment of the State of Israel. In 1952, Israel abstained in Res.390 (V)UN Res that federated Eritrea with Ethiopia. In 1993, Israel recognized Eritrea.
During Emp. Hailesellasie Imperial Regime, Israel had a dozen or more advisers on counterinsurgency based in Eritrea. They organized, trained and supplied Ethiopian commandos & frontier guards-men, whose members numbered 3,200 and 1,200 respectively.
In Feb 1978, after Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan's public acknowledgement of Israeli-Ethiopian military ties, despite Derg's official anti-Zionism policy, Mengistu ordered the expulsion of Israelis.
In a Dec 1989, former US President Jimmy Carter, who was mediating between the EPLF & Ethiopia disclosed that Israel provided Ethiopia with cluster bombs that the Ethiopian Air Force used in Eritrea.
In Sep, 1998, despite pleas from Eritrea, PM Netanyahu, decided to allow Elbit Systems to supply upgraded MiG-21 fighter jets to the Ethiopian air force during the war b/n Eritrea & Ethiopia. Eritrea protested the act, as taking sides in the war.
(History of Eritrea: @Erihistory)













