Milorad Dodik — the seasoned Serb statesman and president of the Republika Srpska — landed in Jerusalem this week, not as a routine foreign dignitary, but as a passionate and dedicated ally of the Jewish state at the International Conference on Combating Antisemitism — Generation of Truth. His presence, though little known in Western capitals, underscores an evolving constellation of support for Israel that transcends traditional geopolitical boundaries.
Invited by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs, Dodik is meeting with senior Israeli officials and representatives from across the democratic world — and will be recognized by the Israeli parliament for the cooperation his entity has built with Jerusalem.
#BREAKING #Israel JUST IN: Israeli President Isaac Herzog met in Tel Aviv with Ana Trišić Babić, Acting President of the Republic of Srpska, and Milorad Dodik, president of the ruling party. Over the years, Israel has developed close relations with Srpska.https://t.co/fBwV58ky82 pic.twitter.com/nX12sNxx6n
— The National Independent (@NationalIndNews) January 26, 2026
Who is Milorad Dodik?
Dodik (b. 1959) is a veteran politician from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Serb‑dominated entity, the Republika Srpska — one of two political entities created under the Dayton Accords alongside the Bosniak‑Croat Federation.  He has led the Republika Srpska multiple times as president and prime minister, and has spent decades as a defining voice for Serb national identity. 
What makes him noteworthy today — and relevant to Israel — is not just his political longevity, but his consistent affirmation of Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, and his outspoken criticism of antisemitism. In statements preceding and during his time in Israel, Dodik has framed the Jewish state’s security challenges, including the ongoing war with Hamas, in terms of universal self‑defense and national survival — themes familiar to Israelis and Jews worldwide. 
A solidarity rooted in shared historical memory
Dodik’s affinity with Israel is rooted — in his telling — in the shared memories of suffering and survival. He often invokes the history of Serbs and Jews during World War II, emphasizing the horrors both peoples endured under genocidal regimes. This historical parallel informs his rhetoric about threats to national existence and external delegitimization.
Republika Srpska stands with Israel https://t.co/tN7He37LU7 pic.twitter.com/tRgKvC7oJR
— Milorad Dodik (@_MiloradDodik) January 25, 2026
In a previous visit to Jerusalem in 2025, he told JNS that Republika Srpska and Israel share many similarities: both have faced persistent efforts to deny their right to exist independently, and both leaders (himself and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) have been subjected to political targeting as a result of their convictions.
Critics in Europe and Bosnia have questioned the optics of Dodik’s participation alongside Western leaders and Jewish advocates against antisemitism — especially given his record of nationalist rhetoric and resistance to Sarajevo’s central institutions. Nonetheless, his message of solidarity with Israel on combating antisemitism has found receptive ears in Jerusalem.
Beyond politics: Strategic implications
What makes Dodik’s visit significant — particularly for Israeli audiences — is not merely his personal convictions, but the strategic narrative he represents: that support for Israel today is not confined to old alliances or predictable blocs, but is emerging in unexpected places where leaders identify with Israel’s struggle against delegitimization, existential threats, and historical revisionism.
For Israel, engaging figures like Dodik offers an opportunity to broaden international alliances in a world where antisemitism and anti‑Israel sentiment often masquerade as moral critique. For analysts watching trends in global geopolitics, Dodik’s presence at Jerusalem’s international conference signals a subtle shift — one where shared values of national sovereignty, historical memory, and defense against hateful ideologies can build bridges across divides once thought impassable.
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