Andrei Ismagambetov
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that Serbia is the only country in Europe that trades ammunition with Israel. According to Vučić, on the evening of October 8, 2023, after the attack on Israel by Palestinian groups led by Hamas, he received a request for help from Israeli President Isaac Herzog and within four days, despite the complexity of international protocols, Serbia had already begun deliveries.
The president stressed that despite sharp criticism from his European colleagues and the media, he does not intend to change course. Over the years of his rule, Vučić has established close ties with both Israel and Arab countries, including with the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. He uses these contacts for humanitarian missions, especially on issues of hostage release.
“Today I am perhaps the only one in Europe who continues to cooperate with Israel in the military sphere. They criticize me - and so be it. In Serbia, we will always respect, value and love the Jewish people and Israel“, he said.
Vučić also spoke about Serbia's efforts to facilitate the release of Alon Ohel, a citizen of Israel and Serbia, who was taken hostage by Hamas during the attack on the Supernova festival. He mentioned that he had personally contacted Arab leaders to influence the situation.
“We have received confirmation that he is alive, although seriously injured. "I sincerely begged my friends in the Middle East to help him," the president said.
He noted that Serbia's support for Israel is evident not only at the political and military level. Belgrade has become one of the few European cities where Israeli sports teams such as Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa have managed to hold their matches despite international boycotts.
“We have not had a single anti-Semitic slogan or incident in our stadiums. I am proud of that“, Vučić stressed.
He also expressed concern about the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe: “I am not surprised by what is happening. But Serbia is different. We continue to respect the Jewish people and that will not change.“ According to Vučić, Belgrade does not unilaterally recognize Palestinian statehood and opposes any pressure on Israel in international organizations. "For us, Israel is a friend. And when friends suffer, you don't lecture them; you help them," concluded the Serbian president. At the same time, Vucic did not comment on the war crimes committed by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza and criticized the International Criminal Court for its actions against the Israeli leadership, emphasizing that those attacked have the right to defend themselves, not to be tried (we recall that the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, accusing them of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes between October 7, 2023 and May 20, 2024).
Thus, Belgrade is guided by the American proverb "business is business", despite the genocide against the population of Gaza and other war crimes. After all, in addition to declarative statements, the actions of the Serbian government have significant economic consequences. In 2024, according to international analysts, Serbian arms and ammunition exports to Israel amounted to 42.3 million euros - thirty times more than the previous year. In addition to military cooperation, trade turnover between the countries is also growing. In 2024, it amounted to 199.2 million dollars - Serbian exports increased by 75.2%, while imports increased by 40.9%. In the first two months of 2025, Serbian exports increased by 196.2%.
The number of Israeli tourists in Serbia at the beginning of 2025 increased by 73%. The countries also cooperate in the field of security and cybersecurity.