Croatia refuses to approve Israeli ambassador nominee
Croatian President Zoran Milanović has refused to approve the nominee for Israel's new ambassador to Zagreb. It is reported that this decision was made against the backdrop of the policies pursued by the current Israeli government, particularly the military operations in the Gaza Strip.
A statement from the Croatian President's office clearly emphasized that the ambassador nominee proposed by the Israeli side did not receive Milanović's approval and will not receive it in the future.
"The proposed ambassador of the State of Israel did not receive and will not receive the consent of the President of the Republic, Zoran Milanović," the statement said.
Milanović has previously criticized Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip several times. It is said that until now, he had refrained from making harsh public comments on this issue, taking into account the requirements of diplomatic practice.
However, the Croatian President believes that the Israeli side announced the nominee for the new ambassador to Zagreb without obtaining Croatia's official consent. He assessed this as a violation of an "unwritten rule" in diplomatic relations.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is working with Croatian partners to resolve the issue regarding the status of the new ambassador in Zagreb.
Diplomatic relations between Croatia and Israel remain tense against the backdrop of the critical situation in the Middle East, especially the military actions in Gaza. This situation appears to be affecting official dialogue between the two countries.
Recall that in February, Zoran Milanović stated that Croatian soldiers would not cooperate with the Israeli army due to "unacceptable actions and unprecedented violations" of international humanitarian law.
In short, the Croatian President openly demonstrated his political position by refusing to approve the Israeli ambassador nominee. This decision is being perceived not only as a matter of diplomatic protocol but also as a stance regarding the situation in Gaza. The signal from Zagreb is clear: diplomatic steps taken without official consent are not easily accepted.
