Abstract

This article analyzes the developments in Israel’s regional trade agreements and their effects on the liberalization of its international trade. The article first addresses Israel’s dependence upon its international trade and the case for liberalizing it (Section A); the RTAs concluded by Israel (Section B); the contribution of the first Free Trade Area Agreements (FTAs), concluded by Israel with the European Economic Community, on the one hand, and the United States, on the other, to the overall liberalization of its international trade (Section C); a discussion follows of the special problems encountered with the rules of origin, an essential characteristic of any FTA, and of the proof of origin under Israel’s FTAs (Section D). The special features and problematic aspects of the customs union, concluded between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), are analyzed (Section E). Finally, the article provides an outlook into the future of Israel’s RTAs (Section F).