Breaking: Serbia to Open Trade Office in Jerusalem

This move is contrary to EU policy, which refuses to recognize the Holy City as Israel’s capital.

By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)

Serbia, a candidate to join the EU, will be opening a trade office in Jerusalem in November.  The European country’s chamber of commerce recognizes Israel as a “Highly technologically advanced Country” and is tasked with the mission of reaching a free trade agreement.  The Serbians are particularly interested in working with Israel’s IT sector, start-up consulting, healthcare, agriculture, and food industry, in addition to the Military industry, cyber, ICT services, wastewater treatment and tourism.   They are clearly interested in tapping into Israel’s booming economy and potential (there are only 6 other countries where Serbia has set up such an office).

In September 2020, then US President Donald Trump did what was once thought impossible, brokering an economic normalization agreement between the two, longtime warring nations of Serbia and Kosovo.  Part of the deal included both countries recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving their respective embassies.  In February, Kosovo became the first Muslim and European nation to open their embassy in Jerusalem (for more on Kosovo’s historic move, click here).  Serbia has yet to do so, though moving their trade office is often the first step for countries wishing to re-locate their embassies.

The EU (vehemently against recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital before a final status agreement is reached between the Jewish State and the Palestinians) was less than happy with this move.  When the deal between the two Balkan countries and Israel was announced, the European Union implied that they were putting their membership in the EU as risk, although this year two current EU members, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (for more on this, click here) defacto recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by opening up official branches of the embassies in the Holy City.  Hungary (another EU member) also opened an official diplomatic mission in Jerusalem.

Four countries have already fully moved their embassies to Jerusalem: US, Guatemala, Kosovo, and Honduras. Other countries, including Malawi, Equatorial New Guinea, Brazil (who has already opened a trade office in the capital city), and the Dominican Republic have pledged to do so, although no date has been set.

Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.