Croatian President Zoran Milanović has rejected Israel’s proposed ambassador, due to the ‘policies pursued by the current Israeli authorities’, he announced yesterday (18 May).
Milanović, who has repeatedly criticised Israel’s genocide on Gaza, said he stayed silent at first out of diplomatic convention but spoke out after what he described as Israel’s breach of an ‘unwritten rule’ — with Israel announcing its proposed ambassador before receiving Croatia’s consent.
In February, Milanovic announced that members of Croatia’s armed forces would not cooperate with the Israeli army ‘due to their unacceptable actions and unprecedented trampling of’ international humanitarian law.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it is working with Croatian officials to ‘resolve the matter’ surrounding the ambassador’s status in Zagreb.
