In a statement to the media on Saturday, Croatian President Zoran Milanović said on Saturday that he does not align with Israel due to its retaliatory actions in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks, and openly criticized the display of the Israeli flag on the Croatian Foreign Ministry building, which he called “an idiotic move.”
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“With all my sympathy for Israel, which unfortunately they lost within 15 minutes… there is no place for other flags in Croatia, except in strictly regulated situations,” Milanović said. “I condemned [Hamas’] murders, I even expressed disgust and abhorrence, but the right to defense does not include the right to revenge and the killing of civilians."
Croatia is generally considered friendly toward Israel. However, Milanović is part of former Yugoslav dictator Tito's communist left-wing faction and the Non-Aligned Movement.
During his election campaign for the presidency, he was asked to comment on the canceled F-16 fighter jet deal between Israel and Croatia, which was halted due to the U.S. refusal to approve it. He stated that “Israel is a country that cannot be trusted.”
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Israeli civilians running to the stairwell during a rocket siren
(Photo: Reuters /Violeta Santos Moura)
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in response, "The provocative statement of the Croatian president sticks like a sore thumb against the backdrop of supportive messages from international leaders expressing solidarity with the people of Israel, following the horrific images of Hamas's barbaric terror attack that have been broadcast worldwide.
Israel thanks the Croatian prime minister for his supportive words in our justified battle against the terrorist organization Hamas, and is also grateful to the Croatian Foreign Ministry for choosing to raise the Israeli flag at the entrance to the ministry, demonstrating solidarity with the people of Israel during these challenging times."
Israel at war
(Credit: ACT)
