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Israel, Austria sign strategic partnership agreement

July 13, 2022 at 10:40 am

Minister of the Interior of Austria Karl Nehammer in Berlin, Germany, 24 June 2020 [Getty]

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, a statement said yesterday.

According to the release, which was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the agreement ranges from issues of cyber security to health and tourism.

They signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership on security, cyber matters, health and pandemic response, tourism, climate crisis action, trade and more,” the statement said.

It also stated that they discussed issues related to “security challenges as well as regional issues on the agenda, especially the Iranian threat.”

During the discussions, Lapid “emphasised the importance of the international awareness against the agreement [with Iran] and concerns over the continuation of the Iranian nuclear program.”

They discussed increasing combined efforts between the countries “in the fight against antisemitism and in steps to preserve the memory of the Holocaust.”

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According to The Times of Israel, they also discussed the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, which started in February.

“I think today we have the chance that we build our relations stronger than they were before,” Nehammer said during the signing ceremony in Tel Aviv, Israel Hayom reported.

“A deal with Israel, a historically close partner of Austria, could cover [Israel’s] gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea as Austria is looking for alternate gas suppliers,” he said.

In a written statement released on Friday, Nehammer stated: “Israel is a particularly important partner and friend of Austria. We, therefore, want to further deepen our close relations at all levels.”