Story of Strange Love Between Serbia and Palestine

Relations between the State of Palestine and the Republic of Serbia have been very close and friendly. Although Serbia had re-established relations with Israel in 1991, its relations with Palestine had remained excellent.

Serbia had voted in favour of Palestine on several occasions, including the UN General Assembly vote denouncing the US decision to take its embassy to Jerusalem.

History

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during Tito's time had established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1948. But after the 1967 Six-Day War, Yugoslavia had interrupted these relations and had not restored them until 1991, writes Periscopi.

Tito had strongly supported Yasser Arafati and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Yasser Arafat even visited Beography after Tito's death on May 8, 1980.

Yugoslavia had recognised the State of Palestine on November 16, 1988, and had established full diplomatic relations in 1989.

By the end of 1999, when Slobodan Milosevic's government was internationally isolated because of the war in Kosovo and other wars in other former Yugoslav countries, Palestinian authorities had invited Milosevic to celebrate Orthodox Christmas in the city of Bethlehem. Israel had threatened Milosevic would hand him over to The Hague Tribunal if he crossed the Israeli-controlled border.

On June 9, 2015, during President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to Belgrade, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, with the parties agreeing to hold annual consultations on economic issues.

During the 2009-2017 period, Serbia had offered more than 70 scholarships to Palestinian students in several different disciplines.

Serbia has consistently denounced Israel's military shares against Palestinians over the past decades. /Periscope