Israel–Montenegro Relations

Israel and Montenegro maintain full diplomatic relations, with cooperation focused on the economy, tourism, culture, and historical ties.[1][9] Israel recognized Montenegro soon after its independence from Serbia in 2006, and bilateral diplomatic relations were established on 12 July that year.[1][9] Montenegro’s recognition of Israel is also dated to 12 July 2006.[10]

The relationship combines non-resident diplomacy with official visits.[1][6] Defense contracts and tourism are additional components.[7][4] Israel covers Montenegro through its embassy in Belgrade rather than through a resident embassy in Montenegro.[1] Montenegro has likewise appointed non-resident ambassadors to Israel, including its first ambassador, Tamara Mugoša, who presented her credentials in June 2014.[11]

Historical remembrance has a visible place alongside contemporary cooperation: a monument unveiled near Nikšić in July 2024 honored the support associated with Israeli pilots and the countries’ historical friendship.[5] Defense procurement has produced agreements worth tens of millions of dollars and euros.[4][8] Official figures cited in a 2026 report recorded 110,249 Israeli tourists in 2025.[7]

During Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, the Yugoslav government approved the use of Kapino Polje airfield near Nikšić as a waystation for 60 Spitfire aircraft purchased by Israel in Czechoslovakia.[2] The secret transfer, known as Operation Velvetta, passed through the territory of present-day Montenegro while it formed part of Yugoslavia; it therefore preceded relations between the two independent states.[2] Yugoslav and Czechoslovak assistance combined sympathy for Israel among some Communist leaders with financial payments.[2]

Israeli aviator Oded Abarbanell later recalled the airfield: “It was a huge green meadow surrounded by hills. A river passed on the west side of the airfiled [sic] and the town was on the east side.”[2] The airfield’s connection to Israel’s struggle for independence later became the subject of a joint commemorative project in Nikšić.[5]

Political, economic, and cultural relations between Yugoslavia and Israel developed positively in the early years after Israeli independence, and the Yugoslav public generally viewed Israel favorably.[2] Two Montenegrin diplomats served as Yugoslav ambassadors to Israel between 1948 and 1967.[2] One of them, Jovan Vukmanović, headed the Yugoslav mission in Tel Aviv from 25 May 1954 until early July 1956.[2]

After the 1956 Suez War, the Yugoslav political establishment increasingly viewed Israel as serving Western imperial interests, while Yugoslavia strengthened its ties with Arab countries and other non-aligned states.[2] Nevertheless, Tito and the Yugoslav leadership did not question Israel’s right to exist.[2]

Yugoslavia broke diplomatic relations with Israel following the June 1967 Six-Day War, giving formal notice on 13 June.[2] Vojimir M. Šobajić, a Montenegrin diplomat who had served as Yugoslav ambassador to Israel since September 1964, headed the mission affected by Israel’s reciprocal measures.[2] Relations were not restored before Yugoslavia’s dissolution in 1991, although contacts during the intervening years were not entirely hostile.[2]

Diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and Israel were reestablished in January 1992, and Israel subsequently opened an embassy in Belgrade.[12] After Montenegro became independent in 2006, that embassy also covered Montenegro; a 2017 account recorded that Israel had no embassy in Podgorica.[12] The present diplomatic arrangement continues to be non-resident representation from Belgrade.[1]

In June 2014, Tamara Mugoša presented her credentials to Israeli President Shimon Peres as Montenegro’s first ambassador to Israel, serving on a non-resident basis from Montenegro.[11] She identified the participation of both countries in the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program as an opportunity for cooperation.[11]

Knesset Speaker Yuli Yoel Edelstein and MK Hamad Amar made an official visit to Montenegro from 16 to 19 February 2016 during a trip that also included Albania.[6] In Montenegro, the delegation met the president of parliament, parliamentary caucus leaders, the country’s president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, and foreign minister.[6]

On 8 November 2017, a delegation from Montenegro’s Foreign Ministry met the Knesset Education Committee, with Amar attending as chair of the Israel–Montenegro Friendship Group.[13] The meeting included a film about young Israelis with special needs who had visited Macedonia; Montenegro’s ambassador, who had hosted the youths during their visit and appeared in the film, also attended.[13] The delegation met Amar after the screening.[13]

Ivan Leković headed a Montenegrin delegation to Jerusalem for bilateral political consultations in 2017.[14] He later presented credentials to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin as a non-resident ambassador, an appointment reported in 2019.[14]

At the seventh Mahar conference in Budva in 2019, Montenegro’s President Milo Đukanović addressed hundreds of participants.[15] Israeli Minister of Religious Services Yitzhak Vaknin met Montenegrin Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Zoran Pažin and other representatives.[15] Vaknin thanked Montenegro for its friendship with the Jewish community and expressed Israel’s willingness to share technological knowledge and expand mutually beneficial economic cooperation.[15]

Investment arrangements preceded Montenegrin independence: in 2004, Israel initialed an investment-promotion and protection agreement with the joint state of Serbia and Montenegro.[16] The proposed agreement provided protection against discrimination and a framework for consensual arbitration of foreign-investment disputes.[16] By 2017, Montenegro listed Israel among the partners covered by its 26 agreements on mutual investment promotion and protection.[3]

In 2020, Israel appeared among 23 countries with which Montenegro had bilateral investment treaties in force.[17] The investment-treaty framework included the free transfer of funds, compensation in cases of expropriation, and mechanisms for settling disputes between investors and states.[17]

Defense cooperation expanded through a 2019 government-to-government arrangement that led to a $35 million Elbit Systems contract.[4] Elbit was to supply remote-controlled weapon stations for Montenegro’s Oshkosh 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, integrate the systems over three years, and provide logistics support for seven years.[4]

A further government-to-government defense-export agreement in 2023 was worth approximately €20 million and covered Elbit Systems 120 mm mortar munition systems mountable on 4×4 armored vehicles.[8] It also included training for Montenegrin soldiers and officers in Israel, at the Elbit-IMI Academy.[18] This was the third defense agreement between the countries in recent years, following the strengthening of defense relations in 2019.[8]

Despite the defense agreements, broader bilateral trade and investment were characterized in a 2024 analysis as very limited.[19]

At the July 2024 monument unveiling, Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica described bilateral relations as “excellent and friendly” and identified existing cooperation in the economy, investment, and tourism.[5] He named green and innovative technologies, agriculture, digitalization, infrastructure, and public health as fields in which Montenegro wanted deeper cooperation.[5]

A two-day visit by Gilad Shadmon, director-general of Israel’s Ministry for Regional Cooperation, was reported in September 2025.[20] He met dozens of Montenegrin officials, including ministers, directors-general, and deputy ministers responsible for innovation, education, science, employment, sustainability, information systems, and infrastructure.[20] The meetings explored possible cooperation, after which the Israeli ministry’s team worked to translate proposals into practical projects.[20]

Israeli tourism to Montenegro increased from 73,513 visitors in 2024 to 110,249 in 2025, with most arriving on direct flights from Tel Aviv.[7] At the July 2024 monument ceremony, Jewish Community of Montenegro president Nina Ofner Bokan had described annual Israeli tourism as approximately 100,000 visitors and characterized Montenegro as a safe and hospitable destination for Jewish travelers.[5]

Montenegro’s Jewish community was founded in September 2011.[12] Its early international contacts included a visit by Israel’s then-Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger in 2011 and a Rabbinical Centre of Europe delegation in 2012.[12] The community later participated directly in the creation of the monument commemorating historical friendship with Israel.[5]

The monument to “Velvet” was unveiled at Kapina Polje in Nikšić on 5 July 2024 as an expression of Israel’s gratitude to the former Yugoslavia and Montenegro for their friendship and historical solidarity.[5] The project had been initiated in 2022 by the Embassy of Israel, the Jewish Community of Montenegro, and the World Jewish Congress, and took two years to realize.[5]

The Municipality of Nikšić allocated 1,400 square meters for the monument, the Bemax company built the surrounding park, and Nikšić’s Hiron Creative Lab constructed the plane forming part of the memorial.[5] At the unveiling, Mayor Marko Kovačević said: “The story of the Israeli pilots was alive all this time among the people of Nikšić, but it was rarely talked about in public.”[5]

Israeli President Isaac Herzog congratulated Montenegro’s Jewish community and characterized the monument as testimony to assistance during vulnerable moments in Israel’s struggle for independence.[5] Israeli Ambassador Jahel Vilan recalled the support of international allies, including Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, during Israel’s formative years.[5] Koprivica described the monument as a further step toward strengthening bilateral relations.[5]

Montenegro’s positions in international forums have sometimes differed from Israel’s despite their friendly bilateral relationship.[19] Montenegro voted against Israel at the United Nations in 2012 and 2024 and expressed concern in 2017 over United States President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.[19] A tally of selected General Assembly resolutions from 2015 onward, updated on 15 October 2026, classified 144 Montenegrin votes as against Israel, 37 as abstentions, and none as supporting Israel; the underlying page did not explain its methodology or resolution-selection criteria.[21]

Reports in 2026 also described incidents affecting Israeli visitors, including a violent altercation in Budva and harassment in Plav.[7] The cause of the Budva altercation was unclear: a local rabbi believed a personal dispute escalated after the tourists were identified as Israeli, while an Israeli government alert cited attackers shouting anti-Israel slogans.[7] Montenegro’s parliamentary vice-president described official relations with Israel as very good while acknowledging disagreement among parts of the public over events in Palestine.[7]