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Israel–Paraguay relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Israel and Paraguay. Israel and Paraguay have full diplomatic relations, and each country is represented by a full embassy in the other.
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History
In 1947, Paraguay was one of the thirty-three countries to vote for the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, effectively paving way for the creation of Israel. The two countries opened up diplomatic relations in 1949.
Israel's embassy in Asunción was closed in 2002 due to budget cuts, although legal professionals in Israel alleged that it was on religious grounds. It was reopened in July 2015. In 2005, the Paraguayan embassy in Mevasseret Zion was closed, also due to budgetary constraints, and reopened in 2013 in Herzliya.
Foreign aid
In January 2016, Israel sent aid to assist Paraguay in coping with the heavy flooding that had taken place there and had displaced about 100,000 people. In June 2016, Netafim sent advanced drip irrigation systems to help Paraguay with a drought through Israel's embassy in Asunción.
Trade relations
Israel's exports to Paraguay totaled US $6.69 million in 2014, focusing on electronics and minerals. Paraguay's exports to Israel in the same year totaled US $145 million, made up almost exclusively of frozen meat and soybeans.
In 2005, when Israel's exports to Paraguay totaled US $2.5 million, the two countries signed a mutual export agreement, which stipulated that each country would help increase mutual trade. In 2010, Israel and Paraguay also agreed to cooperate on agriculture and signed as customs agreement.
In 2015 it was reported that the Paraguayan Army purchased a number of Negev light machine guns from Israel Weapon Industries.