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Bosnia and Herzegovina–Israel relations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bosnia and Herzegovina–Israel relations are the bilateral relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Israel.

Bosnia and Herzegovina–Israel relations
Map indicating locations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Israel

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Israel

Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Israel have established relations on 26 September 1997.[1] Bosnia and Herzegovina have embassy in Tel Aviv which serves both Israel and Cyprus.[2] The Israeli embassy in Tirana, Albania serves also Bosnia and Herzegovina.[3]

History

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Early relations

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During the Yugoslav Wars, Israel took 84 Muslim refugees from Bosnia,[4] and Israel together with Jordan have operated a joined aid mission to Bosnia.[5] Bosnia and Herzegovina decided first to recognize and to establish relations with the Palestinians in 1992,[6] as Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Israel have established relations on 26 September 1997.[1]

Relations from 2000

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In 2013, Israel extradited Alexander Cvetkovic to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cvetkovic an Israeli-Serb who immigrated from Bosnia to Israel in 2005, was indicted by Israeli courts in 2011 for allegedly participating in the July 1995 massacre of Srebrenica.[7][8] In 2017 Bosnia and Herzegovina's Serb President Mladen Ivanić visited Israel and meet with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[9] In 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Prime Minister Borjana Krišto was the first Prime Minister to visit Israel and even wished to see the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Jerusalem.[10] In 2023 the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the International Economy Fair Mostar.[11]

Economic relations

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In 2020, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) opened a cyber academy in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the vision to increase the country's cyber capabilities through international collaborations, leveraging new technologies, infrastructure development, and research.[12] In 2024 Israel increased the import of aluminum from Bosnia and Herzegovina, while reducing import from Turkey and other “unfriendly” countries.[13]

Antisemitism in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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In 2017, the Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized the naming of a school in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a Muslim Nazi collaborator, Mustafa Busuladzic.[14][15] In 2020, a Catholic cardinal honored in a service the soldiers of the Nazi-allied Ustasha. The local Jewish community and Israel criticized the event,[16] and thousands demonstrated in Sarajevo against as well.[17]

After the massacre of 7 October in 2023, many Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina protested against Israel from the early stages of the war, and supported by the mayor of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karic.[18] Benjamina Karic refused to show any solidarity with Israel,[19] and since 7 October antisemitism increased in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reported by Israelis and Jewish citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[20] In September 2024, 200 fans of Bosnia and Herzegovina's national team have marched in the Jewish quarter of Budapest while calling Pro Palestinians calls.[21]

Jewish community

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See also: History of the Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina is estimated between 500 and 1,000 Jews living in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, Tuzla, Doboj, and Zenica.[22] The Jewish Community of Bosnia Herzegovina have a Jewish museum in Sarajevo.[23] In 2024 a Jewish-Muslim Initiative for Peace meet on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Srebrenica and commemorated the Israeli victims of 7 October and the Palestinian victims of war.[24]

Israel-Republic of Srpska relations

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See also: Israel–Serbia relations

Republic of Srpska have representative office in Israel located in Jerusalem,[25] mostly focusing on economic and cultural relations.[26]

In 2011, Nebojsa Radmanovic vetoed and blocked Bosnia and Herzegovina from voting in favor of the Palestinian Authority.[27] In 2012, Milorad Dodik visited Israel.[28] In 2023, Israel's 75th Independence Day were celebrated and patronized by Milorad Dodik in the capital of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Lista zemalja koje su priznale Bosnu i Hercegovinu i datumi uspostavljanja diplomatskih odnosa". Archived from the original on 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ "IZRAEL".
  3. ^ https://mvp.gov.ba/ambasade_konzulati_misije/ambasade_u_bih/Default.aspx?template_id=16&s1=842&id=6243
  4. ^ Kinzer, Stephen (18 February 1993). "Israel Accepts 84 of Bosnia's Muslim Refugees". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "Joint Israeli-Jordanian aid to Bosnia - UPI Archives".
  6. ^ "Jerusalem's Western Wall is part of Israel - Bosnia and Herzegovina official". 9 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Israel extradites alleged genocidaire to Bosnia". The Times of Israel.
  8. ^ "Israel Extradites Israeli-Serb Accused of Genocide". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 15 August 2013.
  9. ^ https://www.gov.il/he/pages/eventbosnia150317
  10. ^ https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/05/04/bosnian-pm-tells-israel-hayom-she-would-would-like-to-see-embassy-in-jerusalem/
  11. ^ "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pay an Official Visit to Bosnia". 21 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Israel Aerospace Industries opening cyber academy in Bosnia". 30 September 2020.
  13. ^ "Aluminum diplomacy: Israel turning from Turkey to Bosnia for trade imports?". 9 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Israel protests Bosnian school named for Muslim Nazi collaborator". The Times of Israel.
  15. ^ "Israel Criticises 'Anti-Semitic' Bosnian School Name". 24 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Bosnian Catholic cardinal to honor Nazi collaborators in memorial service". The Times of Israel.
  17. ^ "Thousands in Sarajevo protest against Mass for Nazi collaborators". The Times of Israel.
  18. ^ "Thousands join pro-Palestinian protest in Bosnia". Reuters.
  19. ^ https://www.israelhayom.co.il/news/world-news/europe/article/14329544
  20. ^ "ישראלי שחי בבוסניה הרצגובינה: "אני חי כאן תחת איומים"". 6 March 2024.
  21. ^ https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/world-soccer/article/16424219
  22. ^ "World Jewish Congress".
  23. ^ "Bosnia's Jewish community putting together an archive for an eventual museum". The Times of Israel.
  24. ^ "Bosnian Jews and Muslims Call for Peace on Day of Holocaust Remembrance". 27 January 2024.
  25. ^ "RS Representative Offices Representative Offices of the Republic of Srpska Abroad".
  26. ^ https://israel-srpska.com/%d7%90%d7%95%d7%93%d7%95%d7%aa/
  27. ^ "Bosnia Divided on Palestinian Request for Statehood Support". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 16 August 2011.
  28. ^ "N12 - נשיאה הסרבי של בוסניה מבקר בישראל: "תומכים בכם"". 20 January 2012.
  29. ^ "ידידת האמת של ישראל". 30 June 2023.
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