Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to the Seychelles

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The Seychelles and the Zionist state since 1992: direct flights, visa-free travel, an Israeli radar for its patrol aircraft, and a Dubai ports chief writing to Jeffrey Epstein from the islands

The Seychelles established diplomatic relations with "Israel" in September 1992.[1] By 2022 Israelis were among its top ten tourist markets, served by direct Air Seychelles flights to Tel Aviv,[2] and in January 2024 the two states signed visa-exemption agreements.[3] The Seychelles also features in emails that Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, then head of DP World, sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2013 and 2014.[4]

Jewish community and religious life

History

No historic Jewish community in the Seychelles was found in the sources consulted.

The community today

No organised Jewish community was found in the Seychelles.

How far is it Zionist? There is no Jewish community to speak of. The connections on this page are between the two states, Israeli tourists and business.

Chabad

Main article: Chabad-Lubavitch movement

There is no Chabad Bot page for the Seychelles, and no permanent Chabad centre was found there. The Seychelles is not among the ten countries with permanent centres under Chabad of Central Africa.[5] The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States lists no rabbi in the Seychelles.[6]

Zionist movement and advocacy

No organised Zionist movement was found in the Seychelles.

Israeli state and commercial ties

Diplomacy and aid

  • In 2011 the Israeli foreign ministry listed relations as established in September 1992, with the Seychelles covered by the ambassador in Kenya.[1] The Israeli political scientist Benyamin Neuberger lists it among the African states that established relations with "Israel" for the first time in the 1990s.[7]
  • On 6 September 2022 the Israeli ambassador, Michael Lotem, who is based in Nairobi, presented his credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan. He said they discussed agriculture, business, health and tourism.[2]
  • In January 2024 Lotem met the foreign minister, Sylvestre Radegonde, and signed visa-exemption agreements for ordinary, diplomatic and official passports.[3][8]

Tourism and flights

  • A bilateral air services agreement, first initiated in October 2015, was signed in September 2022, doubling the permitted flights from 14 to 28 a week. Seychelles statistics showed 9,069 Israeli visitors in 2022 by early September, among the island's top ten markets. Air Seychelles operates direct flights to Tel Aviv, and the islands export fish to "Israel".[2]
  • In August 2022 Air Seychelles became the first airline allowed by Saudi Arabia to overfly its territory on flights between the Seychelles and "Israel".[2]

Arms

  • The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) records one Israeli EL/M-2022 maritime patrol radar, ordered in 2012 and delivered in 2013, for a Dornier 228 patrol aircraft supplied by India.[9]
  • A 2011 SIPRI paper listed the Seychelles among nine sub-Saharan states that received major Israeli weapons in 2006–10, recording the same type of radar in 2010.[10]

Trade

The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics does not list the Seychelles separately in its main table of trade by country. The Seychelles falls under "Other Countries".[11] The Seychelles News Agency says the islands export fish to "Israel".[2]

Migration and aliyah

The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics does not list the Seychelles separately in its table of immigrants by country of birth.[12]

Political interference

Gaza

  • On 10 October 2023 the foreign ministry said the Seychelles was "gravely concerned by the recent attacks carried out in Israel" and condemned "all indiscriminate attacks on civilians in both Israel and Palestine". It called for a return to negotiations on a two-state solution.[13] President Ramkalawan repeated this at the first Saudi-African summit in November 2023.[14]
  • In January 2024 Radegonde told Lotem that while "Israel's right to self-defence is recognised, that right cannot encroach on the rights of civilians in Gaza". He condemned the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023 and the taking of hostages, and deplored the killing of more than 20,000 civilians in Gaza. The Seychelles Nation says the Seychelles co-sponsored the UN Security Council draft resolution of 8 December 2023 calling for a ceasefire, which the United States vetoed.[8]
  • In September 2025 the Seychelles voted for the General Assembly's endorsement of the New York Declaration on a two-state solution.[15]

Jeffrey Epstein

  • On 22 December 2013 Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of the Dubai ports operator DP World, told Jeffrey Epstein that he was spending a week in the Seychelles: "what a beautiful island it's only 4 hours from dubai and it reminds me of Maui Hawaii same lush green mountains and beautiful beaches NICE FOOD beautiful looking mix girls we must visit together when you have time".[4] He sent Epstein pictures from the islands the next two days,[16][17] and in February 2014 pictures of a fishing trip there.[18] In February 2026 DP World replaced bin Sulayem after his ties to Epstein were revealed in the files.[19]
  • In February 2011 a correspondent whose name is redacted told Epstein of going to the Seychelles "for a job". Epstein replied "well?", and the correspondent wrote back: "i am still in seychelles working".[20][21]
  • In May 2012 another redacted correspondent wrote to Epstein from "an African tour" to the Seychelles and Zanzibar,[22] and Epstein forwarded a message headed "They eat bats!! In Seychelles ,look at the menu".[23]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Missions Abroad: Status of relations mfa.gov.il, archived 5 August 2011 (Israeli government-side).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Salifa Karapetyan, Seychelles and Israel agree to expand flight frequency to 28 flights per week Seychelles News Agency, 7 September 2022.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rita Joubert-Lawen, Seychelles and Israel sign visa-free accord, islanders now have one of strongest passports in the world Seychelles News Agency, 12 January 2024.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sultan Bin Sulayem, email to Jeffrey Epstein, "Re:", 22 December 2013, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 9), EFTA00651429 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  5. ↑ Shloimy Galperin, Getting Central Africa's Rabbis Into One Room Isn't Easy Chabad.org, 10 June 2026.
  6. ↑ Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, The Rabbis rabbisalliance.org, accessed 21 October 2026 (Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States-side).
  7. ↑ Benyamin Neuberger, Israel's Relations with the Third World (1948–2008) S. Daniel Abraham Center for International and Regional Studies, Tel Aviv University, October 2009.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Israeli ambassador meets with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Seychelles Nation, 12 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Arms Transfers Database SIPRI, accessed 20 October 2026.
  10. ↑ Siemon T. Wezeman, Israeli Arms Transfers to Sub-Saharan Africa SIPRI Background Paper, October 2011.
  11. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Foreign Trade Statistics Monthly, Table D1: Trade Countries – Imports and Exports CBS, December 2025 issue (library copy) (Israeli government-side).
  12. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Statistical Abstract of Israel 2024, Table 2.55: Immigrants, by period of immigration, country of birth and last country of residence CBS, 2024 (Israeli government-side).
  13. ↑ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Republic of Seychelles, Seychelles – The Escalation of Violence in the State of Israel and in Palestine APO Group, 10 October 2023 (Seychellois government-side).
  14. ↑ State House Seychelles, President Ramkalawan addresses the First Saudi-African Summit statehouse.gov.sc, November 2023 (Seychellois government-side).
  15. ↑ United Nations General Assembly, Recorded vote on A/80/L.1/Rev.1: Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, 12 September 2025 (copy hosted by Al-Quds Al-Arabi).
  16. ↑ Sultan Bin Sulayem, email to Jeffrey Epstein, "Picture if Seychelles", 23 December 2013, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 11), EFTA02369170 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  17. ↑ Sultan Bin Sulayem, email to Jeffrey Epstein, "Seychelles", 24 December 2013, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 10), EFTA01790125 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  18. ↑ Sultan Bin Sulayem, email to Jeffrey Epstein, "What's app", 24 February 2014, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 11), EFTA02581027 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  19. ↑ Jacob Rosen and Sophia Vlahakis, CEO of Dubai's largest port replaced after ties to Epstein revealed CBS News, 13 February 2026.
  20. ↑ Email to Jeffrey Epstein (sender redacted), 4 February 2011, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 9), EFTA00645996 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  21. ↑ Email to Jeffrey Epstein (sender redacted), "Re:", 8 February 2011, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 9), EFTA00671037 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  22. ↑ Email to Jeffrey Epstein (sender redacted), "I am at Seychelles", 4 May 2012, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 10), EFTA01768184 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  23. ↑ Jeffrey Epstein, forwarded email "Fwd: They eat bats!! In Seychelles ,look at the menu", 4 May 2012, DOJ Epstein Files release (Dataset 11), EFTA02308160 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
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