Printed On 6 Sep 2026
The Israeli Chamber of Commerce final week opened an workplace in Banja Luka, the seat of presidency of the Bosnia and Herzegovina entity of Republika Srpska, in a transfer officers stated would “additional strengthen” the 2 sides’ ties.
The opening comes when Israel faces rising worldwide criticism on account of its genocidal battle towards Palestinians within the Gaza Strip, together with by the Sarajevo-based Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the opposite most important political entity inside Bosnia.
However in Republika Srpska, Israel has loved robust assist for the reason that begin of the battle on Gaza in October 2023. Milorad Dodik, the entity’s former president and efficient chief, has ceaselessly expressed pro-Israeli views positioning Republika Srpska as a key ally of Israel within the Balkans.
Following the outbreak of the Gaza battle, Dodik stated that Republika Srpska totally helps Israel’s proper to self-defence, whereas the Palace of the Republic in Banja Luka was illuminated with the colors of the Israeli flag.
Dodik, who final yr was stripped of his publish and banned from holding political workplace for six years. That was after being convicted for refusing to adjust to the selections by the worldwide envoy overseeing the peace deal that ended Bosnia’s Nineteen Nineties battle. He has opposed initiatives for the worldwide recognition of Palestine. In August 2025, he stated “a state that doesn’t exist in actuality can’t be lawfully recognised”.
Talking on the opening ceremony in Banja Luka on Thursday, Dodik highlighted the political and historic ties between the Serb and Jewish individuals and what he described as their related “struggling”.
“We’ve proven that we will, below not possible circumstances and in an surroundings that’s traditionally talking hostile, protect our id and our holy phrase, which is freedom,” stated Dodik.
Israel’s Ambassador in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Galit Peleg, stated the workplace in Banja Luka is geared toward connecting companies and to advertise “funding cooperation“ between the 2 sides, with out providing particulars.
“At a time of protests and threats in Sarajevo, the Workplace of President Milorad Dodik supplied us a fantastic constructing in Banja Luka,” Geleg stated on the ceremony, referring to the pro-Palestine demonstrations in Bosnia throughout the battle on Gaza.
Dodik stated Republika Srpska will create a assist programme for brand spanking new applied sciences from Israel, with out disclosing particulars. Equally, Republika Srpska authorities have touted the opportunity of a big Israeli funding, with out offering any data.
The workplace’s president is Amir Gross Kabiri, an Israeli businessman, industrialist and investor who in recent times has turn out to be one of the outstanding figures in Bosnia’s financial and political life. He turned identified to the nation’s wider public after his firm, a subsidiary of the M.T. Abraham Group, a global conglomerate and funding group, signed a contract in 2020 to lease the amenities of the collapsed Mostar aluminium large Aluminij.
After signing the settlement on the workplace opening, Ana Trisic Babic, the appearing director of the Workplace for Worldwide Cooperation of the Republic of Srpska, stated the entity and Israel “have lengthy nurtured pleasant relations”, which she linked to “the historic experiences of the 2 peoples and the challenges they face”.
She added that the authorities of Republic of Srpska view Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assist for the opening of the workplace as a affirmation of these relations.
Rescued from chapter?
Davor Gjenero, a Zagreb-based analyst with in depth information of political affairs within the Western Balkans, stated the workplace opening will give Republika Srpska’s authorities a possibility to alleviate the entity’s important monetary issues, together with rising debt.
He stated Republika Srpska “is dealing with a sort of chapter and any sort of financial exercise with Israel will be additionally half” of its technique to deal with the difficulty.
Gjenero additionally highlighted the “connection” between the insurance policies of Dodik and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, which he described as a doubtlessly “harmful” growth amid rising tensions in Bosnia.
“This may be an indication that centrifugal processes are happening, which might pose a severe menace to the unity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he stated.
Gjenero argued that the cooperation between the Republika Srpska and Israel, together with the rising cooperation between Serbia and Israel – notably within the navy sector – might additional enhance tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He stated “any exercise” by the Republic of Srpska “with out coordination with Sarajevo could be a major problem for Bosnia and Herzegovina in its dialogue with the European Union”, because the nation seeks EU membership.
“Additionally, any sort of making Dodik stronger is harmful for relations between Sarajevo and Banja Luka and inner relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
