CARACAS — Venezuela and Israel agreed to renew consular relations and establish an official coordination channel. The agreement establishes a mechanism to provide consular services to citizens of both countries.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia held talks in recent weeks leading to the agreement. Venezuela and Israel have not maintained full diplomatic relations or reopened embassies since 2009.

The agreement allows for the continuation of bilateral technical cooperation arising from emergency and recovery efforts following earthquakes in June. "The two countries agreed to allow the continuation of bilateral technical cooperation arising from the emergency and recovery efforts following the double earthquake," Plasencia said in announcing the agreement, adding that they would establish a mechanism for consular services.

Twin earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on June 24. ZAKA and Home Front Command teams provided humanitarian assistance in Venezuela following earthquakes in late June. The Israeli delegation, composed of personnel from the Foreign Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces, traveled to Venezuela after the earthquakes and worked with Venezuelan authorities and emergency teams on disaster response, recovery, and humanitarian assistance, according to UPI.com.

"Both governments recognize the importance of the relationship between the State of Israel and the Jewish community in Venezuela, which constitutes an important historic bridge of friendship between the two countries," Venezuela's government said in a statement, which was also issued by Israel's foreign ministry.

Why It Matters

The renewed ties contrast with Venezuela's strategic partnerships with Iran, which include defense cooperation and energy imports. In December 2025, the US Treasury sanctioned Venezuela's state-owned Empresa Aeronáutica Nacional SA (EANSA) for its role in assembling Iranian drones, showing ongoing geopolitical tensions that persist alongside this new diplomatic opening.

Timeline

In July 2006, Chávez met with former supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran and was awarded the Higher Medal of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez broke diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009 during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. During that same period, Chávez declared during a TV broadcast, using profanity to curse the State of Israel.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated Iranian investments and loans in Venezuela at between $15 billion and $20 billion by 2012. By the end of Chávez's presidency in 2013, Iran and Venezuela had signed hundreds of agreements covering energy, banking, housing, agriculture, cement and automobile production. Venezuela imported around 73,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude and condensate in 2022.

Maduro and then-Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation plan in June 2022 covering oil, petrochemicals, defense, agriculture, tourism and culture. "Venezuela has shown exemplary resistance against sanctions and threats from enemies and Imperialists," Raisi said at the time.

What's New

Zvi Hassid, CEO of ZAKA, commented on the development. "Today, when the countries announce the opening of a new page in relations between them, we are proud to know that the large ZAKA family was there at the moment when a bridge of humanity, compassion, and solidarity was built," Zvi Hassid said. Baruch Nidam, Director of ZAKA’s International Division, also provided perspective.

"Our activity in Venezuela proved once again that the language of saving lives is an international language," Nidam said. "These bridges are built first of all by human beings," Nidam said.

Additional context notes that Delcy Rodriguez serves as interim President of Venezuela. In July, Venezuela announced it was withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Research titled Venezuela - Diplomatic Privileges & Immunity in Foreign Law Guide offers further background on the legal status of diplomatic interactions involving the country.