Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Functions and Structure

The Foreign Ministry formulates, implements and presents the foreign policy of the Government of Israel. It represents the state vis-a-vis foreign governments and international organizations, explains its positions and problems throughout the world, endeavors to promote its economic, cultural, and scientific relations, and fosters cooperation with developing countries. Israel currently maintains diplomatic relations with 162 countries. The Ministry promotes relations with Diaspora communities and safeguards the rights of Israeli citizens abroad.

The Ministry discharges its diverse duties through its head office in Jerusalem and the Israeli missions abroad.

Director-General's Bureau: Assisting the Director-General in management of the Ministry in its diverse activities. Follow-up and coordination of regular tasks. Initiating and supervising over special operations. Coordination of contacts between the Ministry and the defense establishment, as well as other ministries. Five bureaus are subordinate to the Director-General's Bureau:

• Coordination Bureau: Follow-up and coordination between departments, special operations, situation room, information center, reporting, updating, coordination of special activities.
• Protocol and Official Guests
• World Jewish Affairs
• Religious Affairs
• Personnel Training and Development

Another three bureaus are directly subordinate to the Ministry administration: Consular Affairs, Political Planning, and Regional Security and Arms Control.

Each of the following divisions of the Ministry is headed by a deputy director-general:

The Middle East Division deals with Israeli-Arab relations, including coordination of multilateral and bilateral talks:

• Jordan Department
• Department for North Africa, Syria and Lebanon
• Gulf States Department
• Egypt Department
• Palestinian Affairs Department
• Jerusalem Affairs Department
• Middle East Projects Department
• Multilateral Coordination Department

The North America Division deals with the United States and Canada.

The Western Europe Division comprises four departments:

• Europe 1 (Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, the Benelux countries and Italy)
• Europe 2 (Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Switzerland and Austria)
• Europe 3 (European organizations, NATO, Council of Europe, and European Union)
• Europe 4 (Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland)

The Division for Central Europe and Eurasia comprises two departments:

• Central Europe 
• Eurasia

The Division for Asia and the Pacific comprises three departments:

• Southeast Asia (India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangaladesh and Pakistan )
• Northeast Asia (China, Japan, Mongolia, and South Korea)
• Oceania (Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands).

The Africa Division comprises two departments:

• Africa 1 (North Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea, Nigeria, Zaire, Congo-Brazzaville, and Tanzania);
• Africa 2 (South Africa, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Madagascar).

The Division for Central and South America and the Caribbean comprises two divisions:

• South America Department
• Department for Central America and the Caribbean

The Division for International Organizations and the United Nations comprises three departments:

• International Organizations 1 (international organizations, labor, health, UNESCO, tourism, immigration, communications, refugees, UNICEF, Third Committee of the UN)
• International Organizations 2 (political issues in the UN General Assembly and UN committees, Security Council, Israel-UN relations, peacekeeping forces, UNRWA, Red Cross, UNDP, PoWs and MiAs)
• International Organizations 3 (Third World, economics, UNIDO, UNCTAD, nongovernmental organizations and Human Rights: human-rights issues, UN Commission on Human Rights, and relations with human-rights organizations).

The Economic Affairs Division comprises four units:

• Economic Department 1 (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, aviation, and shipping)
• Economic Department 2 (Western Europe)
• Economic Department 3 (Eastern Europe, oil, Arab boycott)
• Bureau for Middle Eastern Economic Affairs

The Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV) comprises four units:

• Management and Budget Department
• Overseas Training Department
• Overseas Projects Department 
• Department  for Planning and External Relations

The Information and Media Division comprises six units:

• Public Affairs Department (audiovisual aids, productions and publications, special projects)
• Information & Internet Department (gathering information and disseminating it in real time to missions and reporters in Israel)
• Spokesman's Office and Press Department (relations with the Israeli and foreign press, visiting journalists);
• Arab Media Department
• External Relations Department (requests from the public, friendship societies, local government, municipal organizations)
• Management and Budget Department

The Division for Cultural and Scientific Affairs comprises four units:

• Department for Cultural and Scientific Cooperation
• Arts and Literature Department (assistance in exporting Israeli culture, literature, film, dance, music, theater, and plastic arts; aid for participation in festivals)
• Iberian Institute
• Management and Budget Department

The Legal Division:

• Department for Diplomatic and Administrative Law
• Treaties Department
• International Law Department
• Economic Law Department
• General Law Department
• Consular Affairs Bureau

Inspector General:

• Inspection Department

Center for Political Research: Comprised of various departments.

The Administrative Division includes seven bureaus (comprising a total of 23 departments):

• Foreign Service Security (Management and Administration; Operations; Security Budget)
• Finance (Local Salaries; Overseas Salaries; Accounts; Overseas Accounts; Conditions of Service)
• Human Resources (Overseas Personnel Management; Home Base Personnal Management)
• Properties and Services Management (Overseas Properties; Diplomatic Mail; Transporation; Maintenance and Supply)
• Personnel Welfare and Support (Dispatch and Absorption; Personnel in Israel; Personnel Welfare)
• Information Technology and Communication Services (Communication Services; Communication Technology; Archives and Data; Management and Budget)
• Budget Management