The Israeli Ambassador to Montenegro, Avivit Bar-Ilan, expressed her alarm regarding the protest that took place yesterday in Podgorica. This protest was organized by the Palestine Solidarity Movement outside the Cultural and Information Center (KIC) “Budo Tomović” to mark Israeli Film Day.

Bar-Ilan made these remarks during a press conference held near the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where she met with Nina Ofner Bokan, the president of the Jewish Community in Montenegro.

“During the launch of the Israeli Film Days in Podgorica, an event designed to foster art, dialogue, and friendship between our nations, a group of protestors physically obstructed the entrance to KIC ‘Budo Tomović,’” she stated at the outset of her remarks.

“Radical factions are attempting to disrupt cultural ties between Israel and Montenegro, and this is not the Montenegro we cherish. I am profoundly disheartened by the effort to undermine a peaceful cultural event through intimidation and aggression,” she added.

Bar-Ilan asserted that the protest “was not a peaceful demonstration or an expression of free speech.”

“It was an act of intimidation aimed at silencing artistic expression, which led many—including members of the Jewish community—to refrain from attending due to fear. They chanted violent slogans based on false narratives, intimidated guests, and—most alarmingly—distributed images depicting fake blood on the streets of Podgorica. My concern is straightforward: where fake blood flows today, real blood may flow tomorrow,” Bar-Ilan emphasized.

She described the slogans expressed at the protest as reflective of “Hamas themes,” noting that 58 of their citizens had been captured by that group.

“The hateful slogans we encountered echoed the rhetoric of the terrorist organization Hamas, which intruded into Israeli territory a year and a half ago, brutally killing, raping, and abducting Israeli civilians. Today, 58 of our young men remain captives of Hamas in Gaza. We are in immense pain. We urge the international community: help reunite them with us,” she stated.

She also pointed out that both Israel and Montenegro celebrate Independence Day in the same month.

This month marks the Independence Day celebrations for both Israel and Montenegro. We are two small nations with rich histories and resilient spirits, united not just through diplomacy and culture, but also by the nearly 100,000 Israeli tourists who visit Montenegro each year and seek safety here. Let us ensure that culture continues to build connections between our peoples—we will not permit terror to separate us. The Israeli Film Days will continue today and tomorrow, and I invite everyone to join us in celebrating art about love and life,” she concluded.

Journalists were not permitted to pose questions.

The “Israeli Film Days” event commenced last night at the Budo Tomović Cultural Center, where the Palestine Solidarity Movement held a demonstration, during which red paint symbolizing blood was spilled in front of the cultural institution.

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