Ethiopia's Foreign Relations With Israel: 1955-1998

This thesis Ethiopias Foreign Relations With Israel 1955-1998, examines the nature and the impact of the diplomatic relationship between Ethiopia and Israel. From the rupture in relations during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 to the drama of Operation SOLOMON in 1991, the nature of the relationship has changed. What remains constant is the pragmatic adherence to national interests as the driving forces behind foreign policy. Early relations between Ethiopia and Israel were amicable and based on a sense of shared heritage and common interests. A mixture of idealism, economic cooperation, and technical assistance characterized the relations in the 1950s and 1960s. However, pragmatic acknowledgement of the geopolitical realities held greatest sway in the foreign policy arena. Thus, when Ethiopian interests shifted to border security and Israel became more concerned with freedom of the Red Sea, Israeli military assistance was added to the economic programs. The military relationship grew stronger into the early 1970s until Ethiopia severed relations with Israel in 1973. However, a year after the Ethiopian monarchy was toppled by an armed revolt, the new rulers turned to Israel for military assistance against Eritrean insurgents. This tacit military relationship was the hallmark of the relationship between Ethiopia and Israel in the 1970s and 1980s.