Details of the conference cancellation: Schmidt convinced rabbis to come to BiH, Krešić convinced journalists that 'Zionists' were coming

(Patria) - “Can you publish this text about the Rabbinical Conference?” at the beginning of this week, HDZ journalist Zoran Krešić of Večernji list will tell journalists from at least two Sarajevo newsrooms, writes istraga.ba.

In that text, under the title “Sarajevo to host meeting of European rabbis supporting the State of Israel,” Zoran Krešić writes that participants at the meeting in Sarajevo “will provide strong public support to the Israeli people, especially in light of the challenges and suffering caused by the protracted conflict in Gaza.”

Several Sarajevo media outlets fell for Krešić's spin. First and foremost, the portal Klix, which published an article under the headline that strong advocates for the renewal of Israel are coming to Sarajevo. That headline would later be changed, but the initial goal was achieved. What the portal “HercegBosna” started by titling the Rabbinical Conference a “Zionist meeting” ended up in Sarajevo media thanks to Zoran Krešić. The snowball started rolling.

The fact that the European Rabbinical Conference had nothing to do with the “renewal of the state of Israel,” but was exclusively a conference of a religious nature, no longer mattered. Reactions on social networks were triggered, and HDZ operatives could be satisfied. Sarajevo, one of the few cities where the police do not guard religious buildings, including the Synagogue, became a “symbol of antisemitism.”

“Dear Sir/Madam, to clarify – we, the Conference of European Rabbis, distance ourselves from the media publication (publication on Klix and Večernji list). We have not sent any information to the media, neither in Bosnia and Herzegovina nor in any other country in Europe. The information published in this article does not reflect our agenda, our work, and our values,” wrote Gady Gronich, secretary of the European Rabbinical Conference, on June 10 in a message to his friends in the Jewish Community in Sarajevo.

However, the damage could not be repaired. Bots entered the scene, and then NiP minister Adnan Delić, who has no departmental connection to this event. However, he requested the cancellation of the conference.

According to Istraga.ba, the conference of European rabbis was not even supposed to be held in Bosnia and Herzegovina. But a month ago, High Representative Christian Schmidt came up with the idea that “organizing a rabbinical conference” in Sarajevo could be a “great provocation to Milorad Dodik and Dragan Čović.”

Schmidt then approached the mayor of Novo Sarajevo Municipality, Benjamina Karić, and suggested that they jointly help organize this conference. Benjamina Karić then involved the Jewish Community of Sarajevo and suggested that they be co-organizers. The proposal was accepted. Christian Schmidt “withdrew” from further negotiations, as he had effectively done the job for HDZ BiH.

According to Istraga's information, Benjamina Karić went to the Hotel Swiss to suggest they host the Rabbinical Conference. Initially, the employees of the Swiss Hotel did not know what it was about. But when they became aware, they canceled the reservations.

Meanwhile, the president of NiP, Elmedin Konaković, pressured the Swiss hotel not to back down. But there was no more time for a change of heart. The rabbis canceled the conference in Sarajevo and moved it to Munich.