Czechoslovak Diplomacy and the Arab-Israeli Conflict from 1948–1989

The book examines the diplomatic engagement of communist Czechoslovakia in the Arab-Israeli conflict between 1948 and 1989. Based on extensive archival research, the study maps the fundamental shift from Prague’s initial support for the State of Israel to its later alignment with Arab actors directly involved in the conflict, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinians. It shows how this reorientation was expressed through political and military support, as well as through the development of economic cooperation and scientific, educational, and cultural relations, focusing not only on the level of Cold War alliances but also on broader East–South relations. By focusing on the perspective of a small East Bloc European state, the book situates Czechoslovak diplomacy within the broader context of Cold War international politics.