Details:
Milanovic posted on social media that he found Saar’s invitation “incomprehensible” and criticized Croatian leaders for hosting him.
He called the visit unacceptable while Israel continues what he described as “genocide against the people of Gaza.”
Milanovic said meeting with Israeli officials would amount to endorsing “violence, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes.”
He urged Croatia to recognize the State of Palestine and condemned comparisons between Gaza and Croatia’s 1990s war.
Protests erupted in Zagreb ahead of Saar’s meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
Why it matters:
Milanovic’s public rebuke highlights growing divisions within Europe over Israel’s actions in Gaza. His stance contrasts sharply with Croatia’s official position and adds pressure on EU leaders to reassess their diplomatic engagement with Israel.
The big picture:
As civilian casualties mount in Gaza, international criticism of Israel is intensifying. Milanovic’s refusal to meet Saar signals a shift toward more vocal opposition among European heads of state, potentially reshaping regional alliances and the broader debate over Palestinian statehood.
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
