The president of the Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jakob Finci, criticized Israel for interfering in internal relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for supporting changes to the Electoral Law, which were proposed by parties with a Croatian sign.
In a statement to the influential Israeli newspaper Haaretz, he pointed out that he was surprised by Israel’s action, noting that the proposed controversial changes would reduce the political importance of Jews, Roma and other minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“This is the first time that Israel takes a position in the internal affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not helping the Jewish community, nor at the request of the Jewish community, but of a political party in the country,” pointed out Finci.
Finci spoke to the Israeli newspaper after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel emphasized that the embassy’s statement emphasized support for the Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the position was expressed out of fear that those rights could be threatened.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel refused to comment on Finci’s opinion, as well as the views of Israel’s ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Noah Gal Gendler, writes Haaretz.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bisera Turkovic, asked Israel to explain its positions on changes to the Election Law and indicated that a large number of parties oppose the changes to this law, which were proposed by parties with a Croatian sign.
Turkovic told Haaretz earlier this week that it is hard to imagine that Israel’s official policy is discrimination against Jews. On August 8, Finci stated for Klix.ba that the mentioned position of Israel is the result of lobbying by HDZ president Dragan Covic and SNSD president Milorad Dodik. He assessed that this is also an indicator of the ineffectiveness of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s diplomacy, Klix.ba writes.
