Croatian President Criticizes Israel’s Actions in Gaza
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has expressed his lack of sympathy for Israel and criticized the display of the Israeli flag in his country. Speaking to the media, Milanovic condemned Israel’s retaliatory attacks in Gaza following the recent Hamas attacks. He questioned the decision of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to fly the Israeli flag outside its building, referring to it as an “idiotic move”.
Milanovic highlighted the high casualty rate in Gaza, with reports from the Gaza Ministry of Health stating that more than 1,500 people have been killed in the retaliatory attacks. He emphasized that while he had sympathy for Israel, it was lost within a short span of time. Milanovic stated, “There is no place for other flags in Croatia, except in strictly regulated situations”. He further added that while he condemned the actions of Hamas, the right to self-defense should not be equated with revenge and the killing of innocent civilians.
Israel’s attacks on Gaza were initiated in response to a wave of attacks by Hamas soldiers who breached the country’s border, resulting in over 1,300 deaths and the taking of approximately 150 hostages in Gaza.
In addition, Milanovic also announced his decision to lower the flags of the European Union (EU) and NATO in his presidential office, placing them below the Croatian flag. He emphasized that these flags were not equivalent and therefore should not be treated as such.
President Milanovic, who assumed office in 2020, previously served as the prime minister of Croatia from 2011 to 2016. He has been known for making controversial statements in the past, ranging from comparing the Ukrainian patriotic chant to a Nazi salute to threatening to withdraw Croatian soldiers from NATO forces stationed in Eastern Europe.