Serbia rejects accusations, exposing anti Israel narratives while reinforcing legitimacy of security partnerships against terrorism.
Serbia has strongly condemned Francesca Albanese following her criticism of the country’s defense cooperation with Israel, calling her remarks biased and an unacceptable intrusion into national affairs. The backlash came after Albanese’s visit to Belgrade, where she accused Serbia of collaborating “without shame” with Israel and alleged that Serbian weapons were being used in Gaza.
The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claims outright, describing them as “unbalanced and activist,” and emphasizing that such statements fall outside the professional scope of her mandate. Officials stressed that Serbia’s defense partnerships are a sovereign matter and should not be subject to politicized interference.
Albanese has faced repeated criticism from international actors over her statements regarding Israel. Several European Union foreign ministers have previously condemned her remarks made during a conference hosted by Al Jazeera, where her comments were widely viewed as hostile and inflammatory.
Her record includes controversial statements about Israel and its policies, particularly following the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas, which resulted in mass civilian casualties and hostage-taking. Albanese’s framing of those events and subsequent comparisons involving Israel have drawn widespread backlash.
The United States previously imposed sanctions on Albanese in response to her conduct and rhetoric, reflecting growing international concern over perceived bias.
Serbia’s firm response highlights increasing resistance among nations to narratives seen as unfairly targeting Israel, while reinforcing the legitimacy of security cooperation aimed at countering terrorism and maintaining stability.
