The Croatian president refused to accredit the new Israeli ambassador in a protest on Netanyahu’s government policies
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said Monday that Croatia won’t accept the credentials of a new Israeli ambassador because of the policies of the current Israeli government.
Milanovic, a vocal critic of Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, added that the proposed ambassador “hasn’t and won’t” receive his approval.
The Times of Israel reported on Monday that Ambassador Nisan Amdor, who was appointed in November to succeed the current ambassador, is expected to arrive in Croatia by the end of May as chargé d’affaires, a position that doesn’t require presidential approval.
A written statement from the Croatian president said that granting or withholding approval of proposed ambassadors is a sovereign right of the Republic of Croatia.
Milanovic accused Israel of breaking norms by announcing the name of the appointed ambassador before obtaining approval.
The left-wing president is pursuing a policy contrary to that of the more pro-Israel, conservative Croatian government, which strongly condemned the October 7, 2013, attack by Hamas on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.
The president in Croatia is authorized to approve diplomatic appointments of ambassadors, despite his limited political powers.
