PELEG WRITES TO KONAKOVIĆ: AUTHORITIES IN SARAJEVO IGNORE RISING ANTISEMITISM AND SUPPORT THE IRANIAN REGIME

SARAJEVO, JULY 1 /SRNA/ - Non-resident Israeli Ambassador to BiH Galit Peleg sent a letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Council of Ministers Elmedin Konaković, in which she accused the authorities in Sarajevo of ignoring rising antisemitism in BiH and publicly supporting Hamas and the Iranian regime, sources in the Ministry confirmed to SRNA.

In her letter dated June 29, Peleg thanked Konaković for his letter of June 24, but devoted most of the message to serious objections to the policies of the Sarajevo authorities toward Israel and, as she stated, the lack of response to incidents of antisemitism. “However, there are issues that raise much greater concern and on which we would appreciate your attention and response. We are particularly concerned about the alarming rise in antisemitic incidents and rhetoric across BiH, as well as the increasingly visible public support for the terrorist organization Hamas on the streets of the capital of BiH,” Peleg said. She added that Israel is also concerned about the support of the Sarajevo authorities for the Iranian regime, which is widely recognized for its radical policies and serious human rights violations. Peleg warned that such trends are deeply concerning, stressing that “support for terrorist organizations, tolerance of extremist ideologies, and the spread of antisemitism undermine the values of democracy, coexistence, and mutual respect that should guide relations between states and peoples.” “We believe that clear and principled leadership is of key importance in addressing these challenges and in ensuring that hatred, extremism, and incitement are unequivocally rejected,” Peleg said. She asked Konaković to take a position on these issues and expressed the expectation that he would demonstrate a “strong commitment to combating antisemitism, opposing terrorism in all its forms, and promoting tolerance and respect among all communities.” Peleg also criticized Konaković for not responding to several previous invitations to visit Israel. “You have personally been invited on several occasions to visit Israel. To date, you have chosen not to respond to those invitations, let alone accept them. Nevertheless, the invitation extended to you as Minister of Foreign Affairs remains valid and open,” Peleg said. She added that, if he accepts the invitation, he would be warmly received under the flags of BiH and Israel, in the spirit of mutual respect and friendship. She reminded that the Government of Israel last week hosted the Serb member of the Presidency of BiH, Željka Cvijanović, at a conference dedicated to combating antisemitism, noting that her participation was welcomed as part of the ongoing dialogue and engagement between the two countries. Peleg also addressed the display of flags at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Council of Ministers. “At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has on several occasions and at various events displayed flags of entities that are not sovereign states nor members of the UN. As the State of Israel, we have refrained from taking any official position on these issues, respecting your sovereign decisions in conducting diplomatic affairs,” reads the letter seen by SRNA.