Serbian President Voices Hesitation Over Embassy’s Jerusalem Move

As the deadline established by the Washington agreement for Serbia to move its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem expired on Thursday, Serbia's head of state expressed uncertainty over the commitment.

President Aleksandar Vucic, answering media questions, said only that Serbia will decide when and whether to move the embassy to Jerusalem in accordance with international law and its own national interests.

"Israel, meanwhile, has recognised Kosovo, we are talking to the Americans and the EU, and we will, in accordance with international law, but also with the interests of Serbia, and those interests have changed since Israel recognized Kosovo, make decisions in the future, respecting friendship with Israel, but also respecting ourselves," Vucic told the media.

In September 2020, Belgrade and its former province - whose independence it has vowed never to recognise - signed an economic normalisation deal in Washington under US President Donald Trump's auspices.

Point 16 of the agreement, which applies only to Serbia, stated that Belgrade "agrees to open an office of the Chamber of Commerce and a state office in Jerusalem on September 20, 2020 and to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem by July 1, 2021".

In March 2021, Israel recognised Kosovo, which then opened an embassy in Jerusalem as agreed under the Washington deal.

For now, only the United States, Guatemala and Kosovo have opened embassies in Jerusalem, which Palestinians also claim as their future capital. Most countries have said they will only recognise jerusalem as Israel's capital once Israel and the Palestinians have reached a lasting peace settlement.

The US State Department told Voice of America on June 30 it hoped that Serbia and Kosovo will continue...