Ethiopia's Connection To Israel

 Nadene Goldfoot                                          

Ethiopia and Israel share a deep, 3,000-year historical connection that forms the foundation of a strong diplomatic, economic, and strategic alliance. Their contemporary relationship is primarily shaped by several key factors: 

Economic & Agricultural Cooperation: Bilateral ties are bolstered by extensive economic cooperation. Israel provides critical expertise and technology transfers to Ethiopia, focusing heavily on modern agricultural practices, water management, and irrigation projects. Through initiatives like the Israel Export Institute, Israel is promoting bilateral trade and investment. Israeli companies are increasingly exploring opportunities in Ethiopia’s newly opened finance, telecom, and agriculture sectors.

•  Israel is outwardly supporting Ethiopia’s peaceful pursuit of access to a seaport, recognizing Ethiopia's strategic importance in Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb trade routes.

 Masru Teferi, born in 1992, part of the Beta Israelis;  won a gold medal in the 2022 European Marathon Cup, and the gold medal at the 2022 Fukuoka Marathon.   He immigrated to Israel at the age of 14 in 2006 along with most of his family.

Gashau Ayale won gold for Israel's team at the 2025 European Athletics Championships and has been a top finisher in elite international races.  Ayale immigrated to Israel in 2010, at 13 years of age, with his parents and five brothers. They initially lived in an absorption center in Safed, Israel, and then later the family moved to Jaffa, Israel.

Ethiopians started to come to Safed when I lived there from 1980-1985. They created the Beta Israel Community: The cornerstone of their modern bond is the Beta Israel, a community of over 175,000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel. Brought over in historic airlifts in the 1980s and 1990s (such as Operations Moses and Solomon), this diaspora serves as a vital cultural and familial bridge between the two nations. Operation Moses was an emergency airlift in 1984 that rescued thousands of Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel) who were facing devastating famine, civil war, and religious persecution in Ethiopia for being Jewish.

Civil Unrest & Violence: Ethiopia was embroiled in a violent civil war. The Jewish community faced targeted attacks, looting, and persecution from brutal militias.

Religious Persecution: The Ethiopian government strictly forbade the practice of Judaism, and thousands of Jews were killed or arrested.  

Security & Strategic Ties: Both countries collaborate heavily on security and intelligence, particularly regarding shared regional threats like terrorism and the geopolitical dynamics surrounding the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Israel has historically been one of Ethiopia's reliable suppliers of military and strategic assistance.

Historical & Religious Ties: The connection between the two nations predates the modern era, traditionally linked to the legendary journey of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. The two nations officially re-established diplomatic ties in 1989, and both maintain active embassies in each other's capitals (Addis Ababa and Tel Aviv)                                            
Israel has done a miracle!  They rescued as many Ethiopian Jews as they could and brought them to Israel to live in safety.  They also made good contacts with Ethiopia itself with the government through diaspora connections: The Ethiopian Jewish diaspora in Israel has played a role in maintaining cultural and familial ties between the two countries. The Ethiopian community in Israel has faced unique challenges, and efforts have been made to address issues of integration and cultural preservation.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia says that on the Palestinian side: we recognize Palestine and have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause at times. This solidarity often stems from shared experiences of anti-colonial struggles and the pursuit of self-determination. Basically, we're just following the other Africans.  

Yes, Ethiopia sometimes backs Israel in UN votes, though its historical stance has been more aligned with the broader African and Non-Aligned Movement voting blocs, which traditionally favor Palestinian statehood. Ethiopia's UN voting record leans heavily against or abstains on anti-Israel resolutions, but its diplomatic actions indicate a complex relationship.

Ethiopian Jews are very religious and messianic. They regard their rescue and arrival in Israel as the very fulfillment of their redemptive vision. Their primary identity is Jewish, not Ethiopian or African. As a result they are very vulnerable to the pressures of assimilation. "Ethiopian Jews are highly motivated to integrate into Israeli society," says Jeffery Halper, an anthropologist from Hebrew University who has worked with the Ethiopians since 1966. They want complete assimilation. They don't want to reconstitute themselves as a community here."


Ethiopia has a rich history of Olympic and World Championship gold medalists, headlined by legendary long-distance runners. Notable champions include: 
• Abebe Bikila: The first black African Olympic gold medalist and a back-to-back champion, winning the 1960 marathon barefoot and the 1964 marathon.
• Haile Gebrselassie: An iconic distance runner who won consecutive gold medals in the 10,000 meters in 1996 and 2000.
• Kenenisa Bekele: A three-time Olympic gold medalist, sweeping the 5,000m and 10,000m events across the 2004 and 2008 Games.
• Tirunesh Dibaba: Part of the famous Dibaba running family, she is a three-time Olympic gold medalist on the track (5,000m and 10,000m).
• Tamirat Tola: Secured gold and set a new Olympic record in the men's marathon

Resource:
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/ethiopian-jews-israel?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1442219742&gbraid=0AAAAAD9zhqxVOTrgxkQ834Pds8FljTA3l&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_b_QBhCSARIsAP6hR4cNXHTrPa2zizcnY9h1pv-b97

https://embassies.gov.il/ethiopia/en/the-embassy/bilateral-relations
https://www.reddit.com/r/Ethiopia/comments/17aszbq/why_are_ethiopians_overwhelmingly_supporting/