Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Croatia

**Zionist movement**
Overview
Zionism \| Zionist Movement \| Jerusalem Program \| World Zionist Congress \| The Duties of the Individual Zionist \| Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic \| Balfour Declaration
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Theodor Herzl \| Chaim Weizmann \| David Ben-Gurion
National institutions
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Zionist federations (43)
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National JNF bodies (42)
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National Keren Hayesod bodies (35)
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Affiliated world organisations
Hadassah \| Hadassah International \| WIZO \| WIZO UK \| Emunah \| Maccabi World Union \| B'nai B'rith International \| World Union of Jewish Students
Youth movements
Hashomer Hatzair \| Habonim Dror \| Bnei Akiva \| Betar \| BBYO \| Young Judaea \| LJY-Netzer \| Zionist Youth Council (UK) \| Taglit Birthright \| Federation of Zionist Youth
Labour Zionism and the kibbutz
Kibbutz Artzi \| Histadrut \| Mapai \| Poale Zion \| Jewish Labour Movement
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Nachala \| Ateret Cohanim \| Daniella Weiss \| Greater Israel \| Nefesh B'Nefesh Historical: Jewish Colonization Association \| Palestine Jewish Colonization Association \| Mikveh Israel
Military history
Zion Mule Corps \| Jewish Legion \| Jewish Brigade
Christian Zionism
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Israel lobby
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Data and sources
British Zionist charities \| 'Zionist' non profits in the US \| Zionist family foundations in the UK - a ranking \| The Zionist Year Book \| Zionist Review \| Herzl Zionist Institute
Europe (45)
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North America and the Caribbean (12)
United States (movement) \| Canada (movement) \| Antigua and Barbuda \| Bahamas \| Barbados \| Dominica \| Grenada \| Jamaica \| Saint Kitts and Nevis \| Saint Lucia \| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines \| Trinidad and Tobago
West Asia (17)
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North Africa (6)
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Sub-Saharan Africa (48)
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Latin America and the Caribbean (23)
Argentina (movement) \| Belize \| Bolivia \| Brazil \| Chile \| Colombia \| Costa Rica \| Cuba \| Dominican Republic \| Ecuador \| El Salvador \| Guatemala \| Guyana \| Haiti \| Honduras \| Mexico \| Nicaragua \| Panama \| Paraguay \| Peru \| Suriname \| Uruguay \| Venezuela
South Asia (8)
Afghanistan \| Bangladesh \| Bhutan \| India \| Maldives \| Nepal \| Pakistan \| Sri Lanka
Central Asia (5)
Kazakhstan \| Kyrgyzstan \| Tajikistan \| Turkmenistan \| Uzbekistan
East Asia (6)
China \| Japan \| Mongolia \| North Korea \| South Korea \| Taiwan
Southeast Asia (11)
Brunei \| Cambodia \| East Timor \| Indonesia \| Laos \| Malaysia \| Myanmar \| Philippines \| Singapore \| Thailand \| Vietnam
Oceania and the Pacific (14)
Australia (movement) \| Fiji \| Kiribati \| Marshall Islands \| Micronesia \| Nauru \| New Zealand \| Palau \| Papua New Guinea \| Samoa \| Solomon Islands \| Tonga \| Tuvalu \| Vanuatu

Croatia: its Jewish community, relations with "Israel" and the debate on recognising Palestine

About 1,700 Jews live in Croatia, according to the World Jewish Congress (WJC).^[1] In September 2025 the Croatian parliament rejected motions to recognise a Palestinian state and to suspend arms exports to "Israel".^[2]

Jewish community

Three-quarters of Croatian Jews live in Zagreb, with small communities in Osijek, Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik. The Coordinating Committee of the Jewish Communities in Croatia is the WJC's affiliate. The WJC says that fighting antisemitism has been difficult, "especially in light of the historical revisionist efforts to absolve the fascist Ustasha Movement of its responsibility for the mass murder of Jews and Serbs during World War II".^[1]

Chabad

Main article: Chabad-Lubavitch movement

The WJC notes that there is a Chabad presence in Croatia.^[1]

Israeli state and commercial ties

Diplomacy

The Israeli foreign ministry's 2011 list of missions records relations with Croatia as established in September 1997, with "Israel" represented by its embassy in Zagreb.^[3] The Israeli embassy is at Ulica grada Vukovara 271, 10000 Zagreb.^[1]

Arms trade

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) records Croatian purchases of two Hermes-450 reconnaissance drones (2006), UT-30MK2 turrets for six Patria AMV infantry fighting vehicles (a HRK94 million deal, 2017) and Spike-LR anti-tank missiles for the AMVs, with delivery planned for 2026.^[4]

Trade

The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics reports that "Israel" imported goods worth $36.2 million from Croatia in 2025 (2024: $75.3 million) and exported goods worth $24.9 million to it (2024: $24.1 million).^[5]

Political interference

Recognition of Palestine

Croatian Radio-Television (HRT) reported on 26 September 2025 that the parliament had rejected a motion by the Možemo! party to recognise Palestine (44 votes to 73) and another to halt arms exports to "Israel" (46 to 71), and had instead adopted a government-backed conclusion calling on the government to "assess the moment" for recognition. A Most MP opposed recognition, saying: "Israel recognized Croatia in 1992. Palestine never did."^[2] On 29 September Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that it was not a question of whether Croatia would recognise Palestine but when.^[6]

UN voting

Croatia voted in favour of the September 2025 General Assembly resolution endorsing the New York Declaration on a two-state solution.^[7]

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 World Jewish Congress, Community in Croatia worldjewishcongress.org, accessed 25 October 2026.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Katja Miličić, Sabor rejects recognition of Palestinian state HRT, 26 September 2025, accessed 25 October 2026.
↑ Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Missions Abroad: Status of relations mfa.gov.il, archived 5 August 2011.
↑ Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Arms Transfers Database SIPRI, trade register for Israel as supplier, 1950–2025, data generated 20 October 2026.
↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Foreign Trade Statistics Monthly, Table D1: Trade Countries – Imports and Exports CBS, December 2025 issue (library copy).
↑ HINA, Plenković: Not a question of if, but when Croatia will recognise Palestine hina.hr, 29 September 2025, accessed 25 October 2026.
↑ United Nations General Assembly, Recorded vote on A/80/L.1/Rev.1: Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, 12 September 2025 (copy hosted by Al-Quds Al-Arabi).

[WJCHR-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 World Jewish Congress, Community in Croatia worldjewishcongress.org, accessed 25 October 2026.

[HRT2025-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Katja Miličić, Sabor rejects recognition of Palestinian state HRT, 26 September 2025, accessed 25 October 2026.

[MFA2011-3] Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Missions Abroad: Status of relations mfa.gov.il, archived 5 August 2011.

[SIPRI-4] Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Arms Transfers Database SIPRI, trade register for Israel as supplier, 1950–2025, data generated 20 October 2026.

[CBS-5] Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Foreign Trade Statistics Monthly, Table D1: Trade Countries – Imports and Exports CBS, December 2025 issue (library copy).

[HINA2025-6] HINA, Plenković: Not a question of if, but when Croatia will recognise Palestine hina.hr, 29 September 2025, accessed 25 October 2026.

[UNNY2025-7] United Nations General Assembly, Recorded vote on A/80/L.1/Rev.1: Endorsement of the New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, 12 September 2025 (copy hosted by Al-Quds Al-Arabi).

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