Đurić: The Serbia–Israel–U.S. partnership — A partnership for the future

“I firmly believe that this type of cooperation is deeply rooted in history. The partnership between the Serbian and Jewish peoples has endured for centuries. I always like to emphasize on such occasions that Serbia was the first country in the world to recognize the Balfour Declaration and the right of the State of Israel to exist, at a time when many great powers held opposing or differing views. That friendship and partnership have stood the test of time,” Minister Đurić underscored at the event, organized by the Serbian-American Friendship Congress.

On this occasion, Minister Đurić also made a heartfelt appeal for the release of Alon Ohel, an Israeli-Serbian citizen who has been held captive by Hamas for 648 days—chained, severely wounded, and in poor health.

“He was only 22 years old when he was taken hostage. Now, 648 long days later, he is 24. He has not seen daylight or received medical attention for the serious injuries sustained during the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, in which many other young people were killed. I take this opportunity, in the presence of all of you here today, to issue a public call to those holding him to release Alon without delay and allow him, and all other hostages, to return home,” said the Minister.

Speaking about the strategic partnership among Serbia, Israel, and the United States, Serbia’s top diplomat reaffirmed his conviction that this is indeed a partnership for the future, adding that Serbia possesses strong political will to further develop relations with both Israel and the United States.

Recalling high-level meetings with Israeli counterparts in recent years, Minister Đurić highlighted that numerous members of parliament, as well as representatives of religious and business communities, are also actively involved in sustaining these ties.

“Serbia’s balanced foreign policy ensures that the country is uniquely positioned and sees no barriers to cooperation. This represents a significant opportunity for business communities—in Serbia, Israel, and the United States alike,” he concluded.

Reflecting on relations with the United States, Minister Đurić emphasized that a new chapter of cooperation is unfolding.

“In the coming months, we anticipate the formal launch of the first session of the Serbia–U.S. Strategic Dialogue, which will encompass all key areas of our cooperation—from the economy, where the U.S. has become Serbia’s leading partner in modern technologies, IT, software development, and innovation, which have helped Serbia more than double its GDP over the past decade; to the energy sector, where we signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement in September last year; and to defense, where substantial potential for collaboration exists,” Đurić stated.

He also emphasized that Serbia ranks third in Europe in terms of the number of participants in multinational operations, and expressed confidence that, as a militarily neutral state committed to developing its own defense technologies, Serbia can make further progress in building its defense capabilities through cooperation with the United States.

“This is why I strongly believe that meetings of this nature send a broader message to the international community—that states which share common values, not only in recent times but across centuries, despite interruptions and difficult periods in the past decades, have every reason to build a future founded on shared interests and the enduring friendship between our peoples,” Minister Đurić affirmed, adding that this, above all, serves the interests of our citizens.

Minister Đurić also expressed particular pride in each meeting with representatives of Jewish organizations, noting that he comes from a country whose President initiated the adoption of the first law in Europe on the restitution of property to Holocaust victims who left no heirs.

“In doing so, Serbia led the way in righting a historical injustice and helped set a precedent for other countries to follow suit. This step also affirms that Serbia continues the legacy of a nation that saved Jews during World War II and holds the highest number of ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ recognitions per capita. We hope that all of these efforts will continue to be valued, reciprocated, and acknowledged through mutual support,” Minister Marko Đurić concluded.