Israel has refused to recognize Kosovo, Pristina-based Koha is reporting. According to the report, Israel did this "although Hashim Thaci made a good offer to the government of Benjamin Netanyahu."
According to the Director for the Balkans in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dan Orian, two months ago Thaci suggested that Kosovo should open its diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, in exchange for getting recognized by Israel.
Spokesperson of the Israel Foreign Affairs Ministry, Emmanuel Nahshon said the position of Israel is clear and this country does not recognize Kosovo, nor plans to do so, Tanjug news agency reported.
“We do not recognize Kosovo, and as far as I know, our stance on this matter will not change,” Nahshon told Serbian media in Israel, assessing relations between Serbia and Israel as excellent, Blic daily said.
Two Kosovo men pleaded guilty on Wednesday to planning attacks at a World Cup soccer match in Albania against the visiting Israel team last year.
Kosovo police arrested 19 people in November 2016 on suspicion that they had links with the Islamic State militant group and were planning attacks in Kosovo and neighboring Albania. Nine of them were charged.
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Fatmir Limaj, said in a press conference that the state of Israel is ready to invest in Kosovo. Limaj said he met a group of Israeli investors who had concrete development plans amounting to around €100 million. “We had a meeting with serious Israeli investors from the agriculture sector because, as you know, Israel is a leading force in agricultural development so investment here is good news for Kosovo,” Limaj said.
The National Co-ordinator for Cooperation with the UNESCO for Cultural Heritage Vladimir Džamić told RTS that the US decision to withdraw from UNESCO was not too surprising and that he does not expect other countries to follow their move.
Vladimir Džamić says that the US had a turbulent relationship with the UNESCO since 1974 when they protested over UNESCO's relations towards Israel, and then in 1984, when they left UNESCO, which lasted until 2001.
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, met on Wednesday with Israeli Ambassador to Serbia, Yossef Levy. Veseli noted that besides cooperation between Kosovo and Israel at different levels, Israeli should recognize Kosovo’s independence as soon as possible. “It is clear that the recognition of Kosovo's independence has no negative effect on Israel's geopolitical interests,” Veseli said. Ambassador Levy also met with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa and the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj.
Kosovo’s Principal Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, met today with the Israeli Ambassador in Belgrade, Yossef Levy, who is visiting Kosovo. Thaci said after the meeting that Kosovo and Israel have many things in common with regards to history, culture and strategic-political orientations. Thaci said he hopes that the good relations between the two countries will be furthered by Israel’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence.