Serbia, although miles away, may be challenged to define its attitude towards the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Source: MONDO/Stefan Stojanović
The conflict between Israel and Iran represents one of the most complex and challenging geopolitical conflicts of the 21st century, and the deep conflict between the two states extends to various spheres, including politics, military strategy, and the stability of the Middle East.
In the context of this conflict, many countries are under pressure to choose sides or at least take certain positions. Serbia, although miles away, may be challenged to define its attitude towards the conflict between Israel and Iran. Given the complexity of the situation and the numerous factors affecting Serbia’s foreign policy, the question arises whether this country will be asked to take sides and how this could affect its international relations and position in the region.
Israel’s ambassador to Serbia, Yahel Wilan, spoke to MONDO about this topic, saying that it is logical to expect that “every country should condemn the Iranian attack on Israel.”
“Every country that wants peace and stability should do the same. An unprovoked attack on this scale against any country must be condemned. I wish and hope that Serbia will unequivocally condemn this attack, because I believe that every normal state in the world in order to achieve or restore stability in the Middle East and beyond, as well as peace”. said Vilan for our portal.
Source: MONDO/Stefan Stojanović
Today, the diplomatic relations between Serbia and Israel are considered good, and in recent years they have gone through several different phases – from the period of the SFRY, which broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 1967, through the re-establishment of communication at the highest level in the nineties and the war on the territory of the former Yugoslavia, to the improvement diplomatic dialogue.
After “finding a common language” again, the relations between the two countries developed in an ascending line for years, because Israel did not recognize the independence of Kosovo.
The decision on recognition was announced on September 4, 2020, the day Serbia and Kosovo signed the Agreement on the Normalization of Economic Relations in Washington, with the mediation of the then US President Donald Trump.
“I assume that Israel changed its position under American pressure, and not because friendship with Serbia lost its importance,” Ambassador Vilan, who had just arrived in Belgrade, said then.
In the field of economy, relations with Israel have been seriously developed. Only the foreign trade exchange in 2022 amounted to 107.2 million euros, according to RZS data, and exports increased by almost 50 percent.
History of the conflict between Israel and Iran
Let us remind you that the long-standing conflict between the two, once close countries, experienced a new episode of escalation when Iran attacked Israel with missiles and drones (on the evening of April 13), which raised fears of an escalation of the crisis in the Middle East.
Source: Sepahnews / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Israel is already busy with the war in Gaza, and is also facing increasing cross-border fighting with the Lebanese group Hezbollah, so further escalation could pose a great risk for it. Israel’s army chief of staff, Lt. Col. Herzei Halevi, said his country would respond to Saturday’s attack, but gave no details.
On Friday, April 19, US military sources said that Israel had sent missiles and drones at Iran. Tehran said that the attack was foiled and that there was no damage.
The once close relations between Iran and Israel ended in an abrupt reversal in 1979, when the Islamic Ayatollah Revolution took control of Tehran. Previously, those relations were very cordial, until that turning point year when there was a fundamental change of government in Iran. Iran, which normally recognized the state of Israel right after Egypt, became a key ally of the US in the Middle East. The founder of Israel, David Ben-Gurion, sought to build friendship with Iran as a counterweight to the Arab countries that did not recognize Israel.
Source: Sepahnews / Zuma Press / Profimedia
However, everything changed in 1979 when the Islamic Revolution overthrew the monarch and established an Islamic republic that was openly hostile to the US and Israel. The new regime severed all ties with Israel, rejecting American influence and supporting Palestine.
Analysts point out that the new regime wanted to present itself as a pan-Islamic power, embracing the Palestinian struggle as its own. This led to massive anti-Israel demonstrations in Tehran, supported by official policy.
Although relations between Israel and Iran were relatively peaceful until the 1990s, when Iraq became a greater threat, the situation changed. Israel began to see Iran as the main threat to its existence. Now relations between the two countries have become extremely strained, with rivalry and hostility turning from words to actions.
