Herzog to visit Serbia and Albania

President Isaac Herzog will start on state visits to Serbia and Albania on Wednesday, September 11.

Although the war and the hostage situation have impacted Herzog's travel plans over the past year, some state visits have been postponed due to the escalation of hostages being murdered or dying in captivity and the number of fallen soldiers since the start of the war, exceeding 700.

Herzog has maintained continuous contact with the families of both live and dead hostages,  as well as with families of fallen soldiers, including those killed on October 7, particularly those of the female spotters, whose warnings of suspicious Hamas activity went unheeded.

Since October 7, he has also been in frequent telephone and video contact with world leaders, mainly in the US and  Europe, to impress on them the urgency of adding their voices to calls for the release of the hostages. The people with whom he has spoken include Serbian President Aleksander Vucic. 

Relations between Israel and Serbia became strained following Israel's recognition of Kosovo in September 2020 and its establishment of diplomatic relations with Kosovo in February 2021.

Serbia does not recognize Kosovo, and Kosovo, which opened its embassy in Jerusalem in March 2021, is unhappy about Herzog's visit to Serbia.

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo remain high.

Relations between Israel and Serbia improved after October 7, and according to Avital Leibovivich, the Director of the  Jerusalem  Office of the American Jewish Committee, Herzog's visit to Serbia clearly indicates the development of relations between the two countries.  Interviewed by Kosovo Online during a working visit to Belgrade in early September, Leibovich said that the potential for cooperation was enormous in tourism, economy, investments, education, and more.

She also confirmed that relations between the two countries had been affected by Israel's recognition of Kosovo.

In the digital publication, BalkanInsight journalist Sasa Dragojlo and Haaretz reporter Avi Scharf reported that the total number of Serbian arms sales to Israel in 2024 was more than 23.1 million euros. In July alone, Serbia's main state-owned arms trader exported more than seven million euros worth of arms and ammunition to Israel, coinciding with five Israeli military flights from  Belgrade to an airbase near Beersheba.

BalkanInsight is part of the non-government   Balkan Investigative  Reporting Network (BIRN), which functions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia. It also has reporters in close to a dozen other European countries.

Herzog'a visit to Serbia and Albania is to discuss security, strategy, and economic cooperation with presidents, prime ministers, and senior officials in both countries.   In all his meetings with foreign dignitaries, Herzog never fails to raise the issue of the hostages and the crucial urgency for their immediate release.

Herzog is accompanied by  Idit Ohel, who is of Serbian origin and the mother of  Alon Ohel who was taken hostage by Hamas at the Nova Festival on October 7, while trying to escape..

The president's entourage will include a delegation from the Israel Export Institute, the Manufacturers' Association,  the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce, the Israel Innovation Authority, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Although Herzog has expressed reluctance to travel on Israel's official plane, Wing of Zion, he had no choice at this time, as there are no direct flights between Israel and Serbia or Israel and Albania.

The plane was damaged following its last flight but has been repaired.

Herzog was invited to Serbia by President  Vucic and to Albania by Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Both countries have been supportive of Israel in international forums.

In Serbia, Herzog will also participate in a Holocaust memorial event and meet with Jewish community members.

His first meeting will be with President Bajram Begaj upon his arrival in Albania.

During the Holocaust, Albanian citizens risked their own lives to save Jews and are an example of Muslim-Jewish co-existence and friendship.  

Yad Vashem honored a delegation of Albanian rescuers and their descendants some years ago.  Herzog will meet with some of these people in Albania and will attend a Holocaust memorial ceremony at the invitation of  Tirana Mayor  Erion  Veliah.  Albania's tiny Jewish community members will also attend the event.

Following his return to Israel, Herzog will, on Sunday evening, September 15, launch Voice of the People, an initiative aimed at fighting antisemitism and other challenges currently confronting Jews around the world.  The event will include a one-on-one online conversation with celebrity actress Gal Gadot. They will discuss the importance of Jewish pride in highlighting the power of Jewish identity.

Also appearing at the event will be relatives of October 7 hostages and fallen soldiers, as a follow-up to this launch symposium, a Voice of the People global council will be established by 150 Jewish leaders worldwide, whom Herzog will personally invite to join.