Croatia’s president rejects Israel’s new ambassador | Political Affairs

President Zoran Milanovic, a staunch critic of Israel’s war on Gaza, says Israel broke the ‘unwritten law’ by declaring its embassy before it was approved.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has refused to recognize Israel’s new ambassador in Zagreb because of “policies followed by Israeli authorities here”.

“The requested Ambassador of the State of Israel has not received, or received, the permission of the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović,” the President’s office said on Monday.

Milanovic, a staunch critic of Israel’s war of destruction in Gaza, said that he had previously refused to comment publicly on the matter, in line with diplomatic practice, but now he said that Israel had violated an “unwritten law” by announcing its embassy before receiving permission.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it was working with its Croatian counterparts to “resolve the problem of the next Israeli ambassador in Zagreb”, in a statement published by The Times of Israel.

The conflict between Croatia and Israel has been escalating amid Israeli military aggression in Gaza and the Middle East.

In February, Milanovic announced that the Croatian army would not join the Israeli army “due to its illegal actions and violations” of international humanitarian law.

In March, he protested US-Israel War on Iransaying that the desire for regime change in Tehran could lead to “economic collapse” with long-term consequences.

Nissan Amdur is expected to replace Ambassador Gary Koren, whose term expired at the end of May. According to the Israeli release of Ynet, Amdur will now go to Croatia as affaires, an appointment that does not require the approval of the President.

A source familiar with the matter told reporters that Milanovic is “a troubled politician who in the past has made clear anti-Israel and anti-Israeli statements”.

This is the first time in the history of Croatia that the president has rejected the approval of the ambassador, the report said.

Milanovic, for his part, said that “granting or denying permission to ambassadors is an independent right” of the president.

Milanovic has been in office since 2020 and is part of a left-wing movement that is at odds with the conservative government, which supports Israel.

Although he has limited powers, it is the role of the president to ensure that ambassadors are appointed.