Dismantling economic and trade barriers with other countries, particularly in the Arab world, has been a long process but Israel continues to work on improving its standing globally.
Israel maintains diplomatic relations with 155 states, an increase of 62 since the convening of the Madrid Conference in 1991.
Of special significance has been the development of relations with the two great Asian powers - China and India - which promises tremendous strategic and economic potential, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry.
Changes in the entire Euro-Asian sphere are also noteworthy. In the huge territory extending from former east Germany to Vladivostok in the east and India in the south, there were only two Israeli embassies at the beginning of 1991 - in Romania and Nepal - and a consulate in Bombay.
There are now Israeli diplomatic missions in all but five countries in Asia - North Korea, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
A breakthrough has also been achieved in Israel's relations with non-Arab Muslim countries. Diplomatic ties have been established with nine states - Albania, Gambia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. There has also been a marked improvement in relations with Turkey.
In 1993, Israel signed an agreement with the centre of the Catholic world, the Vatican, following decades of total refusal on the part of the church to establish diplomatic relations for both theological and political reasons.