Israeli Minister’s Visit to Croatia Sparks Debate

The news in Croatian

1. ministar  (m.)
   Osoba koja vodi određeno ministarstvo, član vlade. ↩︎
2. premijer  (m.)
   Predsjednik vlade. ↩︎
3. dužnosnik  (m.)
   Osoba koja ima određenu funkciju u državnoj ili javnoj službi. ↩︎
4. izazvati
   Uzrokovati neku akciju ili reakciju. ↩︎
5. postupak  (m.)
   Način na koji se nešto provodi ili radi. ↩︎
6. prekid  (m.)
   Radnja kojom se nešto završava ili zaustavlja. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who did the Israeli minister meet during his visit to Croatia?

Question 2: What did some people call for after the Israeli minister’s visit to Croatia?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
ministar  (m.)	minister
premijer  (m.)	prime minister
dužnosnik  (m.)	official
izazvati	cause
postupak  (m.)	procedure
prekid  (m.)	interruption

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The visit of Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, to Croatia has sparked significant reactions from both political entities and civil groups. Sa’ar’s visit, part of a regional tour that also includes stops in Hungary and Montenegro, has been met with contrasting views from Croatian political leaders and activist groups.

While in Zagreb, Sa’ar is scheduled to meet with Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman, and Speaker of the Parliament Gordan Jandroković. He is also set to pay respects at a monument commemorating the victims of the Holocaust and the Ustaše regime, as well as engage with the Jewish community in Zagreb.

The visit has drawn criticism, particularly from the Initiative for Palestine, which has condemned the visit as a political gesture amidst what they claim are Israeli actions that violate human rights in Gaza and the West Bank. The organisation has called for Croatia to sever diplomatic relations with Israel, citing ongoing investigations against Israeli officials for alleged war crimes.

On the political front, the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, did not meet with Sa’ar, pointing out statements made by the Israeli minister that equated the Homeland War with events in Gaza as offensive. Milanović’s office has expressed concerns that the visit might be seen as support for Israel’s policies, which they describe as violent and oppressive.

Prime Minister Plenković, however, emphasized the importance of diplomatic engagements to share Croatia’s own experiences as a nation that has endured aggression. He stressed that Croatia’s diplomatic efforts are aimed at contributing to peace efforts in the Middle East. According to Plenković, discussions during Sa’ar’s visit included conveying Croatia’s desire for a ceasefire and a peaceful resolution that would reduce civilian casualties.

As diplomatic tensions involve a broader spectrum of international relations, the differing responses from Croatian leadership reflect the complexity of geopolitics in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Observers note that while some entities demand stronger actions against Israel, others advocate for ongoing dialogue as a path to peace.

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