BUDIMIR: SARAJEVO PROMOTES ANTISEMITISM, OPENLY SUPPORTS HAMAS

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 12 /SRNA/ - The Minister for Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of Republika Srpska Željko Budimir said that antisemitism and anti-Israel policies are evident in Sarajevo, which the cancellation of the Conference of European Rabbis in the city confirmed, emphasizing that such views are promoted even by the top-ranking Bosniak elected officials.

"Interfering in a conflict like the one unfolding in the Middle East in such a populist way does not contribute to stabilization. Political Sarajevo has not even tried to hide its support for Hamas," Budimir told the press in Banja Luka. He adds it is necessary to approach this issue objectively and consider the broader context of the developments. "We do not belong to either Judaism or Islam, but we supported a state’s right to defend its own survival," Budimir stated. Due to Sarajevo's rhetoric, the Conference of European Rabbis /CER/, which was supposed to be held in that city, was canceled. This was announced by CER President Pinchas Goldschmidt, who also called for BiH to be barred from EU membership. Goldschmidt explained that a meeting of the CER Standing Committee was planned for next week in Sarajevo, where chief rabbis from across Europe, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, were supposed to gather to discuss the most urgent issues European Jews have been facing, including freedom of religion or belief.