Belgrade is methodically building a military alliance with a state that is waging war in Gaza and trading strikes with Iran. The agreement that the Parliamentary Defence Committee approved in an “urgent procedure” on 29 April 2026 () is merely a formal framework for what has already taken place: Serbia has turned into a key production hub and arms supply channel for Israel at a time when most European countries are distancing themselves from Tel Aviv.
What exactly was signed?
The document is titled “General Security Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information in the Field of Defence.” The wording is dry, but behind it lies a broad range of cooperation: the exchange of classified data across all classification levels, joint ventures and contracts in the defence industry, the sale of armaments, know-how, software and technologies, and regular visits by expert delegations to the partner country’s military facilities.
One specific clause stands out: disputes arising from the agreement will be settled outside national and international courts. The sides also agreed that “neither party, nor anyone on its behalf, shall publicly disclose or communicate anything in connection with the application of this agreement.”
A telling detail: the initiative came from the Israeli side. Belgrade did not merely agree — it accelerated the procedure to the maximum. The government requested “provisional application” of the document before formal ratification in the National Assembly. The explanatory memorandum states bluntly: “the earliest possible start of application would enable the earliest possible signing and entry into force of the contract for the supply of weapons and military equipment and the enhancement of the operational capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces.”
What lies behind the agreement: figures and contracts
Behind the dry formulations lies large-scale military-technical cooperation that has accelerated sharply over the past two years. Serbian arms exports to Israel have grown 42-fold since 2023, reaching €114 million in 2025. An air bridge ran through Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport: Israeli military aircraft ferried artillery shells, rockets and aerial bombs to Nevatim Airbase. Serbian authorities rejected a BIRN and Haaretz request to disclose the data, citing state secrets.
In parallel, Belgrade is buying Israeli systems. In early 2025 came a $335 million contract with Elbit Systems for PULS systems and Hermes drones. In August 2025, another deal worth $1.6 billion followed: drones, long-range missiles, and electronic warfare systems. Combined, that is nearly $2 billion — comparable to the €1.7 billion total defence budget Serbia has allocated for 2026 (3.3% of GDP).
Now comes a joint venture: a factory in Šimanovci, 51% owned by Elbit Systems and 49% by Serbia’s Yugoimport-SDPR. The premises are being leased from Željko Mitrović, the owner of pro-government Pink Media. Plans foresee the production of two types of drones — for close-range and long-range missions
Why this suits each side
For Israel, domestic defence industry facilities are vulnerable to Iranian missiles. In March 2026, Tehran launched two ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia base — 4,000 kilometres from Iranian territory. Even if the missiles did not reach their target, the mere fact of the launch signals that production facilities within range of Iranian missiles are under threat. Relocating part of the production to Serbia addresses the task of risk dispersal. Moreover, Israel gains access to Serbian production capacities and, no less importantly, political cover. Serbia is a formally neutral country, an EU candidate and not a NATO member. At a time when most European states — under pressure from human rights organisations and the UN — are scaling back military cooperation with Israel, Belgrade is expanding it.
The Serbian side officially justifies the deal by the need to modernise its armed forces. The Ministry of Defence states that “defence and military cooperation between Serbia and Israel is good, and the conclusion of this agreement demonstrates Serbia’s intention to improve bilateral relations with the State of Israel in the field of defence and security.” But there is also an unofficial reason, put bluntly by Serbian analysts: “The Serbian ruling elite sees Israel as the shortest route to the White House.” Israel is perceived as America’s closest ally, and Vučić, according to experts, is eager not to irritate the US administration — especially against the backdrop of growing discontent at home after 14 years of Progressive Party rule.
Opposition reaction: unanswered questions
Green-Left Front MP Bogdan Radovanović, who voted against the agreement, told BIRN: “Not a single representative of the Ministry of Defence explained the reason for the urgency in advancing this agreement. It is still unclear to me what exactly ‘mutual protection’ means and whether, for example, Mossad will now have the right to ‘protect’ classified data it gathers on our territory.”
MP Petar Bošković (SRCE) noted that the government is “turning the National Assembly into a notary’s office”: the government is asking consent for an agreement that is already being provisionally applied before ratification — meaning the exchange of classified data may already be underway. Defence Ministry representatives were unable to answer whether the agreement is linked to the construction of the drone factory.
What Belgrade remains silent about: the Iranian factor
Iran has proven it can strike at ranges far exceeding the previously declared 2,000 kilometres. On 20 March 2026, two ballistic missiles were launched at the Diego Garcia base. US and UK officials confirmed the launch itself, and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told the Senate: “I saw a missile with a 4,000-kilometre range launched at Diego Garcia.” Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir claimed Iran used a “two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile.”
Even if the missiles did not hit their target, the conclusion is unambiguous: most European capitals lie within range. The factory in Šimanovci, where attack drones for Israel are to be produced, becomes a legitimate military target.
What comes next
The Progressive Party fully controls the National Assembly — ratification of the agreement is a matter of time. Simultaneously, Belgrade and Tel Aviv have launched a strategic dialogue, established a Serbian-Israeli chamber of commerce, and are discussing a free trade agreement.
But the cost of this course has not been fully calculated. Serbia is entrenching itself as Israel’s military ally at a moment when Israel is fighting on two fronts — in Gaza and against Iran. In the process, Belgrade’s formal policy of military neutrality is becoming a fiction. The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has named Elbit Systems among the companies profiting from the “ongoing genocide” in Gaza.
The “mutual protection of classified information” agreement is merely a legal shell for a far deeper integration of Serbia’s defence industry into the Israeli war machine. And if the conflict continues to expand, geography will not shield Serbia.
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