Costa Rica–Israel relations

Costa Rica–Israel relations

Costa Rica
Israel

Costa Rica–Israel relations are the bilateral relations between Costa Rica and Israel.

History

In 1947, Costa Rica voted in favor of the Partition Plan, which would have established two states, one Arab, one Jewish, in what was then Mandatory Palestine. In 1962, the President of Costa Rica Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich visited Israel for six days.[1] In 1963, Costa Rica opened its embassy in Jerusalem,[1] and both countries signed a cultural convention treaty.[2] The cultural convention treaty was upgraded in 1973.[3][4] In 1966, Israel opened its embassy in San José.[5] In 1968, Costa Rica and Israel agreed on a Mutual Visa exemption agreement.[5] In 1973, the President of Costa Rica José Figueres Ferrer visited Israel,[6] and in 1977 the President of Israel Ephraim Katzir visited Costa Rica for three days.[6]

In 2006, Costa Rica moved its embassy to Tel Aviv, a move then-president Oscar Arias Sanchez said was intended to "rectify an historic error", maintain compliance with United Nations resolutions regarding the status of Jerusalem, and improve Costa Rican relations with Arab countries in the Middle East.[7][8]

In 2015, 20 Costa Ricans parliamentarians launched a pro-Israel caucus.[9]

In 2023, President Rodrigo Chaves Robles said that Costa Rica would consider moving its embassy in Israel back to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.[10] On 7 December 2025, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced that Costa Rica would be opening a trade and innovation office with diplomatic status in Jerusalem.[11]

On 18 September 2024, Costa Rica abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from occupied Palestine.[12] The resolution was proposed after the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion concluding that Israel's occupation of Palestine is illegal.[13] In a statement, Costa Rica's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship affirmed the importance of compliance with decisions issued by the International Court of Justice, but claimed that the resolution would require enacting "coercive economic measures that our country does not consider implementable".[12]

During a December 2025 interview with Diario Extra, when asked about her position on ending bilaterial relations between Costa Rica and Israel, president-elect of Costa Rica Laura Fernandez Delgado said she believes in "strengthening" the country's ties with Israel.[14]

Economic relations

On 9 April 1995, Costa Rica and Israel signed a Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement which entered into force on 28 March 1996.[15]

In 2023, the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture reduced regulations on the import of pineapple from Costa Rica in order to reduce prices.[16]

On 29 March 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding on Trade and Related Economic Cooperation was signed between the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Trade and the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry.[17] The same day, the two countries jointly announced their decision to pursue a free trade agreement (FTA).[18] Trade negotiations were scheduled to begin in October 2023, but were delayed after the October 7 attacks.[19] On 18 October 2024, Costa Rica's Ministry of Foreign Trade announced that Costa Rica and Israel had jointly agreed to continue working towards a trade agreement.[20]

Public opposition to the FTA in Costa Rica resulted in a march and demonstration on 27 September 2025,[21] where signatures were collected to petition the government to terminate the trade negotiations.[22] Activists cited the Gaza genocide as reason for their protest, arguing that accession to an FTA would make Costa Rica complicit in the genocide.[21][23] Several Costa Rican municipalities also passed motions condemning the genocide and called on Chaves Robles, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship to cease negotiations while the genocide continues.[22]

On 8 December 2025, Costa Rica and Israel completed trade negotiations and signed a bilateral FTA.[24][25] The agreement must be ratified by Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly before it will go into effect.[19][26]

Jewish community

See also: History of the Jews in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has approximately 2,500 to 3,000 Jews.[27]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "⁨ידידתה הגדולה של ישראל עוזבת את מועצת הבטחה ⁩ — ⁨⁨מעריב⁩ 24 דצמבר 1975⁩ — הספרייה הלאומית של ישראל │ עיתונים".
  2. ^ https://www.gov.il/files/mfa/amanot/4-24569-6495.tif
  3. ^ https://www.gov.il/files/mfa/amanot/007646.tif
  4. ^ https://www.gov.il/files/mfa/amanot/007647.tif
  5. ^ a b https://new.embassies.gov.il/costarica/en/the-embassy/bilateral-relations
  6. ^ a b "⁨נשיאה הנבחר של קוסטה ריקה ד״ר חתה פיגרארס, הגיע אתמול לביקור בישראל. בגמל התעופה לוד קבל את פניו השר דולציז (צילום: "ישראל סאן")⁩ | ⁨הארץ⁩ | 14 אפריל 1970 | אוסף העיתונות | הספרייה הלאומית".
  7. ^ "Costa Rica moves embassy to Tel Aviv". Al Jazeera. August 17, 2006. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  8. ^ "Costa Rica to Transfer Embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv". Wafa Agency. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Costa Rica becomes 33rd country to launch pro-Israel caucus | the Jerusalem Post". 5 July 2015.
  10. ^ "נשיא קוסטה ריקה: נבחן בחיוב להחזיר את השגרירות לירושלים | ישראל היום". 4 July 2025.
  11. ^ Benson, Pesach (2025-12-07). "Costa Rica expands Israel ties with free trade, diplomacy | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  12. ^ a b Posición de Costa Rica sobre Resolución de la Asamblea General de la ONU sobre situación en el territorio palestino ocupado. (2024). [Press Release]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship. https://www.rree.go.cr/?sec=servicios&cat=prensa&cont=593&id=7957
  13. ^ Mishra, Vibhu. “UN General Assembly Demands Israel End ‘Unlawful Presence’ in Occupied Palestinian Territory.” UN News Centre, 18 Sep. 2024, https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/09/1154496.
  14. ^ Extra TV (2025-12-15). Laura Fernández, candidata presidencial | Partido Pueblo Soberano. Retrieved 2026-03-21 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ https://www.gov.il/files/mfa/amanot/006906.tif
  16. ^ ארץ, עידן (2 June 2024). "שנה לפתיחת יבוא האננס: המחירים נחתכו בחצי, והצריכה הוכפלה". Globes.
  17. ^ Memorandum of Understanding on Trade and Related Economic Cooperation, Costa Rica-Israel, March 29, 2023, Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Trade. https://www.comex.go.cr/media/10737/mou-on-trade-firmado.pdf
  18. ^ Joint Declaration of Costa Rica and Israel, Costa Rica-Israel, March 29, 2023. https://www.comex.go.cr/declaraci%C3%B3n-conjunta-de-costa-rica-e-israel/
  19. ^ a b Gómez, Tomás (2025-04-08). "Costa Rica e Israel avanzan conversaciones para completar negociación de TLC". El Observador CR (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  20. ^ Costa Rica e Israel enrumbados hacia la negociación de un acuerdo comercial. (2024). [Press Release]. Ministry of Foreign Trade. https://www.comex.go.cr/sala-de-prensa/comunicados/2024/octubre/cp-2994-costa-rica-e-israel-enrumbados-hacia-la-negociaci%C3%B3n-de-un-acuerdo-comercial/
  21. ^ a b Olaso, Victoria Miranda (2025-10-02). "Costarricenses marcharon contra el genocidio en Gaza y el TLC entre Costa Rica e Israel". delfino.cr (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  22. ^ a b Muñoz Solano, Daniela (2025-09-26). "Con movilizaciones, arte y música, Costa Rica mostrará este sábado su solidaridad con Palestina". Semanario Universidad (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  23. ^ Solano, Daniela Muñoz (2025-06-27). "Activistas advierten que firmar TLC con Israel haría a Costa Rica "cómplice de genocidio"". Biodiversidad en América Latina (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  24. ^ Israel and Costa Rica to sign Free Trade Area Agreement. (2025). [Press Release]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. https://www.gov.il/en/pages/israel-and-costa-rica-to-sign-free-trade-area-agreement-7-dec-2025
  25. ^ Benson, Pesach (2025-12-08). "Israel, Costa Rica sign free trade deal, eliminate tariffs | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  26. ^ Siles, Andrei. "Costa Rica e Israel firman TLC; documento pasará a la Asamblea Legislativa para su ratificación". ameliarueda.com. Retrieved 2026-03-21.
  27. ^ "World Jewish Congress".
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