Palestine Solidarity Movement: Montenegro’s Government remains silent on questions about military cooperation with Israel
Non-governmental organisations and civil society activists working in the field of human rights have called on the Government of Montenegro to provide an urgent statement on any potential exports, imports or trade in arms and military equipment with Israel, and to publish all current contracts, agreements and licences, the Palestine Solidarity Movement announced.
As they point out, according to a BIRN investigation published in August 2025, the Ministry of Economic Development issued two licences for arms exports to Israel in March and April 2024, with the approval of other competent ministries, while the military offensive in Gaza was ongoing.
- In February 2026, the Embassy of Palestine in Montenegro also publicly condemned the continued cooperation between Montenegro’s Ministry of Defence and the Israeli military and defence industry - the statement said.
To date, according to information provided by the organisations and activists, the public has not received comprehensive answers from the relevant institutions.
- Citizens have the right to know what agreements their country enters into and whether any cooperation exists that could have implications for compliance with international law - the Palestine Solidarity Movement stressed.
They recalled that on 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes against humanity and the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare.
- Montenegro must make its position clear on the E1 plan and other measures that threaten the territorial integrity and viability of the State of Palestine, including the expansion of Israeli settlements and the risk of the forced displacement of the Palestinian population - the statement said.
International law, they stressed, must not be a principle that is applied only when it suits us.
- If international law is the foundation of Montenegro’s foreign policy, this must be reflected in concrete decisions, transparency and consistent action - the Palestine Solidarity Movement emphasised.
The movement is therefore calling on the Government of Montenegro and the relevant ministries to publish full information on all licences, contracts and forms of military cooperation with Israel, and to publicly address reports of arms exports and cooperation with the Israeli defence industry.
They are also calling for arms trade and military cooperation to be suspended if there are grounds to believe that such activities would violate Montenegro’s international obligations, and for the country to take a clear public position on the E1 plan, forced displacement and the unlawful expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.