As Europe remains divided over Israel, North Macedonia finds new reasons to stand with Jerusalem

North Macedonia's Foreign Minister, Timco Mucunski, concluded a brief but significant 24-hour visit to Jerusalem, aiming to deepen the burgeoning relationship between his country and Israel. The visit underscores Skopje's strategic decision to prioritize ties with Israel as a key foreign-policy objective since Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski took office in 2024.

“

We have had a very strong relationship with Israel, but also myself with Gideon, over the last few years. We have collaborated in many areas. I think that this visit is an opportunity to move the bilateral relationship to the next step, to move from a place where we’re at right now, which is excellent bilateral relations, to having that relationship develop into various areas of mutual importance.

Mucunski met with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar, where they signed cooperation agreements and explored avenues for enhanced collaboration. Discussions spanned critical sectors including agriculture, water management, security, innovation, tourism, health, and education. A notable point of discussion was the potential for increased investment and cooperation between the defense industries of both nations.

A significant ambition highlighted during the visit is the restoration of direct flights between Israel and North Macedonia, potentially connecting Tel Aviv with Skopje or the popular tourist destination of Ohrid. Mucunski expressed his belief that such flights would attract more Israeli tourists, while also positioning North Macedonia as a strategic gateway for Israeli businesses seeking access to the European market.

“

One of the first things that we talked about is if we can work together to establish a direct flight between Tel Aviv and Skopje, or Tel Aviv and Ohrid, which is our main tourist center and a city that I believe that every Israeli would love to visit at some point.

Situated at the crossroads of major European transport corridors and investing in energy infrastructure, North Macedonia seeks to leverage its location to become an entry point for Israeli companies and investors. The minister emphasized the country's potential as an underutilized market for Israeli exports and a valuable partner for European market penetration.

“

We want to be a gateway for Israelis who want to visit Europe. But we want to be a gateway not just for tourists, but also for Israeli businesses. We can also be a gateway for Israelis who want to invest in a European market that hasn’t been fully utilized by the Israeli business community. But we can also be a market for exports.