Israel–Monaco Relations

Israel and Monaco maintain full diplomatic relations, established in 1964 and conducted through non-resident Israeli representation.[2][1] The relationship has included high-level personal engagement, Jewish communal and cultural events, and environmental and academic cooperation.[2] More recently, Monaco's UN voting record and its 2025 recognition of a Palestinian state have become points of disagreement with Israel.[3][4]

Diplomatic relations between Israel and Monaco were established in January 1964.[1] Israel maintains no resident mission in Monaco; it is represented there through its Consulate in Marseilles.[1][5]

Despite this light institutional footprint, the relationship has been described as dynamically evolving. Prince Albert II's personal interest in Jewish history and culture has been identified as a significant driver of its warmth.[2]

By April 2018, the Israel–Monaco Friendship Association had approximately 400 members.[2][6] The association organized an Israeli Independence Day reception at Yacht Club Monaco to mark Israel's 70th anniversary. Around 300 guests attended, including local businesspeople, government officials, members of Monaco's Jewish community, and Israeli Nobel laureate Dan Shechtman.[2]

Prince Albert II attended and remained throughout the evening. Israel's ambassador to France and Monaco, Aliza Bin-Nun, described his speech as exceptionally friendly and said he emphasized his personal role in strengthening bilateral ties.[2]

Tel Aviv University organized a symposium in Monaco in December with the Prince Albert II Foundation. It focused on global environmental challenges including smart cities, biodiversity, and ecology.[2]

Prince Albert later received an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University in June 2018, recognizing his commitment to environmental protection and marine conservation.[2][7]

In March 2021, Capsula TAU, a Tel Aviv University-linked startup accelerator, announced its first collaboration with Monaco-based Monacotech. Both organizations operated largely in the green-energy domain.[7]

A significant episode in Monaco's relations with the Jewish world has been the Principality's acknowledgment of its conduct during the Second World War. The JPR monograph states that in 2015, Prince Albert II acknowledged that Monaco had deported 66 of its Jewish citizens in 1942, all of whom later died in Nazi concentration camps.[2] It separately reports that Monaco police arrested and handed over 90 Jewish refugees from Central Europe, but does not clarify the relationship between the two groups.[2]

The apology came roughly two decades after similar acknowledgments by France, Belgium, Italy, and Austria. In 2018, Prince Albert received the European Council Medal for Tolerance and Mutual Respect. He promised to continue perpetuating Holocaust memory “not only as the head of state but also as an ordinary person.”[2]

On September 22, 2025, Prince Albert II announced Monaco's formal recognition of a Palestinian state at the French-Saudi conference during the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.[8][9] The announcement followed French President Emmanuel Macron's declaration. Luxembourg, Malta, and San Marino also formally recognized a Palestinian state, while Belgium and Andorra described conditional or declarative recognition.[9][10]

In the same remarks, Prince Albert said Monaco remained committed to Israel, described October 7 as the beginning of the current chaos, and said only a two-state solution would lead to stability.[8][9]

A month later, ynet reported that Israel had condemned Monaco alongside other recognizing countries but had taken no action beyond condemnation. No Monaco-specific diplomatic measure was reported.[4]

UN Watch, an advocacy organization that tracks General Assembly voting on Israel, currently reports that since 2015 Monaco has voted against Israel in 129 resolutions (72% of its tally) and abstained in 51 (28%), with no votes in Israel's favor.[3] The retrieved page lists the totals but does not explain its methodology.