Djuric in Jerusalem: Strategic Dialogue with Israel a significant step forward in strengthening relations

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Marko Djuric, stated today in Jerusalem that Serbia and Israel, as countries sharing similar views on key international issues, have a clear national interest in further advancing their relations, emphasizing that the launch of a Strategic Dialogue between the two states represents an important step in that direction. He added that he had informed his Israeli hosts about the position of the Serbian people in Kosovo, where, he noted, the rights of Serbs have been diminished over the past three and a half years.

At a joint press conference with Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa'ar, Djuric underlined the need to strengthen cooperation among countries that share similar positions, in a world undergoing rapid change and facing, as he put it, unprecedented challenges.

He identified among such challenges transformations which, in his words, are comparable within a single generation to the invention of the printing press or the Industrial Revolution, such as the development of artificial intelligence, as well as what he described as the practical erosion of the existing global order.

“Today’s discussions covered a wide range of topics, including the enhancement of economic cooperation. A free trade agreement will be concluded, which will open wide the doors for Serbian and Israeli companies. We are grateful to Israel for its participation in Expo 2027 in Belgrade, which is of great importance to us. I believe that in many other areas our countries are increasingly standing shoulder to shoulder,” Djuric stated.

He noted that, when planning this visit, Aleksandar Vucic had told him that this was currently his most important task.

“I believe that today we succeeded in deepening trust and cooperation to the benefit of both our peoples. I thank you for that,” the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

He added that he had taken the opportunity to brief his Israeli hosts on the current situation in the Western Balkans.

“I informed our hosts about the situation in our region and, of course, about the position of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, where the rights of Serbs have been reduced over the past three and a half years. I also emphasized that Serbia is a pillar of stability in our region, approaching all global and regional issues with the aim of strengthening stability, respecting international law, and creating an overall sense of normalcy in an increasingly unstable world,” Djuric stressed.

According to him, with such an approach, both Serbia and Israel can achieve much.

He expressed gratitude for the friendship and strong cooperation, noting that he looks forward to Sa’ar’s visit to Belgrade.

“I am very pleased and honored to have the opportunity to visit the State of Israel for the second time in my capacity as Serbia’s Foreign Minister. This reflects the deep relationship between our two peoples. Serbia is proud of the fact that as early as 1917 it was among the first to recognize the right of Israel to exist,” Djuric said.

He added that Serbia was among the first countries to recognize Israel’s independence.

“We have stood by each other in both good and difficult times. Serbs and Jews have historically been subjected to the same or similar persecutions by various totalitarian ideologies,” Djuric noted.
Sa’ar: Serbia a Reliable Ally and a Genuine Friend of Israel

Israel’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa'ar, stated that the strategic dialogue established for the first time between Serbia and Israel reflects the closeness and deep ties between the two countries, as well as their historical relations.

Sa’ar noted that bilateral relations are grounded in the friendship of the two peoples and have withstood the test of difficult times.

He emphasized that, under the leadership of Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia has been a reliable ally and a sincere friend of Israel.

Sa’ar highlighted that Israel values Serbia’s strong and continuous support since 7 October 2023, as well as during the most recent war.

“The relations between our peoples go back a long way. The Jewish community in Serbia is very old. Unfortunately, it was brutally destroyed during the Holocaust. Jews and Serbs were victims of the Nazis. The partisans fought bravely against them. This demonstrated the remarkable Serbian spirit—proud and courageous,” Sa’ar said.

He added that Israel is a country that has repeatedly demonstrated resilience since the restoration of its independence, and noted that the two states have built close relations over recent decades.

“However, over the past year, these relations have entered a new phase. And I thank you, Marko, because we have both undertaken this mission,” Sa’ar said.

He noted that a free trade agreement between Serbia and Israel is under negotiation and that a meeting of the joint economic committee will be held soon.

Sa’ar emphasized that Israel looks forward to participating in Expo 2027 in Belgrade and added that a permanent Israeli economic representation office will soon be opened in Belgrade.

“Serbia is a strategically important actor in the Western Balkans and an important partner in Europe. This year, strengthening our ties with the Western Balkans has been set as one of the objectives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Western Balkans is a geographically close region, with close friends of Israel. Stability in the Western Balkans is of key importance,” Sa’ar stated.

He added that Israel continues to support the implementation of the Dayton Agreement as a key to a stable and prosperous region, with respect for the rights of all peoples.

“The protection of the rights of ethnic Serbs and Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina is of crucial importance for regional stability,” Sa’ar emphasized.

Speaking about the conflict with Lebanon, he said that Israel is threatened by “the Iranian regime and its terrorist ally in Lebanon—Hezbollah.”

“It is astonishing and concerning that Hezbollah has drawn Lebanon into Iran’s war against its own interests. It did so after already dragging Lebanon into Hamas’s war in Gaza on 8 October 2023. And it has done so again now,” Sa’ar said.

According to him, since 2 March, Hezbollah has launched approximately 10,000 projectiles, rockets, and drones at Israel.

He stressed that Israel will continue to “dismantle Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure along its border” in order to protect its citizens.

Sa’ar also emphasized that Israel has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon.

“Our objectives are clear. We will not allow Hezbollah to implement its pre-war invasion plans. We will prevent it from threatening our border communities. Our goal is to enforce what the Lebanese armed forces claimed to have done since the ceasefire in November 2023, but in fact did not,” Sa’ar said, explaining that this refers to the removal of terrorist infrastructure from southern Lebanon.

He added that direct negotiations with Lebanon could pave the way for a better future, but that the Lebanese government must take concrete steps to restore sovereignty.

At the conclusion, Sa’ar thanked Djuric for his visit and highlighted their personal friendship.

“You are a dear friend and a sincere ally. Thank you for your role in the efforts to bring your relative Alon Ohel home, together with the other hostages held in brutal captivity by Hamas,” Sa’ar said.

Djuric stated that, thanks to the strategic dialogue, Serbia and Israel will become politically closer and economically stronger, and will be better positioned to achieve their national goals.

“The fact that we have launched the first strategic dialogue with Israel is of great importance. This is not merely symbolic—it has concrete substance that will benefit the citizens of both Serbia and Israel,” Djuric said.

He added that the two countries achieve better results when they join forces across various fields.

“When I speak about a free trade agreement with one of the most developed economies in the world, a country with the highest number of scientists per capita, and a state which, like us, has a large and influential diaspora, it is clear that by joining forces we can achieve more,” the Serbian Foreign Minister said.

He also expressed satisfaction that the two countries have implemented plans from the previous year and noted that he looks forward to their next meeting in Belgrade.

At the same time, Sa’ar, responding to a journalist’s question, stated that Israel has been receiving numerous visits from friendly countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Serbia.

“Sometimes we also have visitors who wish to come, but we tell them ‘not now,’ because we want to give priority to friends,” Sa’ar concluded.