Head of GOP in Israel Registered as Lobbyist for Balkan pro-Russian Separatist Republic
Haaretz
Omer Benjakob
Mar 31, 2025
Attorney Marc Zell, chair of the Republican Party in Israel, recently registered as a lobbyist on behalf of Republika Srpska, the president of which was issued an international arrest warrant as he was attending a conference in Israel hosted by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry.
One of Zell's lobbying goals is getting U.S. sanctions imposed on the secessionist, pro-Russian republic's president, Milorad Dodik, lifted.
Under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), any American citizen or firm representing a foreign entity must disclose such activity in advance. According to U.S. filings, In January, Zell's firm – Zell & Associates International Advocates – registered as a lobbyist for Republika Srpska – one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Zell, who resides in the West Bank settlement of Kfar Etzion, listed that address on the registration. His firm, documents show, maintains offices in New York, Washington, Toronto, Moscow, and Amman. The filing states that Zell is to receive $840,000 for his services.
The filing includes the full contract between Zell's firm and Dodik's chief of staff – who acted on behalf of the separatist republic's presidency – outlining the goals of the lobbying effort.
The primary objective, as is written in the contract, is "to create and promote a dialogue between the [Republika Srpska] and the incoming Trump 2.0 Administration aimed at improving relations between the RS and its leadership and the United States."
According to the documents, this potential rapprochement is advanced "in light of the evolving geo-political conditions affecting the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe caused, among other things, by the Ukrainian-Russian War and its possible termination."
The registration is dated January 13 – just a week before Trump's return to the White House and well before his administration began any talks with Russia or Ukraine regarding an end to the war, which began with Russia's invasion in 2022.
Zell, whose firm specializes in international legal advocacy and has represented Israelis facing similar legal entanglements, responded to Haaretz's request for comment, saying that "The information you provided to me is incomplete, inaccurate and therefore misleading. Beyond that, I do not wish to comment."
Dodik, 66, is the political leader of Bosnia's Serb-majority entity and is known for his secessionist, pro-Russian views. He has repeatedly called for Republika Srpska to break away from Bosnia, a country founded as a result of the break-up of Yugoslavia. Because of these positions, he is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions – but enjoys support from Moscow.
In 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed severe sanctions on Dodik over corruption and for undermining the Dayton Accords, the peace agreement that ended the Bosnian War in 1995. The accords established a single state made up of two entities: Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, linked by a weak central government and supervised by an international envoy whose role is to prevent the multi-ethnic Balkan state from slipping back into conflict.
The contract with Zell reflects Dodik's aim to detach the Serb republic from the Bosnian state. The agreement states that Zell will lobby the U.S. administration and Congress to reconsider the Dayton Accords – long opposed by Dodik.
The lobbying contract explicitly states that Zell will work to try to get the personal sanctions against the president and his family removed. He will also work for the removal of sanctions on Željka Cvijanović, the former president of Republika Srpska and now its representative in Bosnia's tripartite presidency. Zell and his firm will receive a bonus if they succeed.
Arrest Warrant Issued During Israeli Visit
Last Thursday, a Bosnian court issued an international arrest warrant for President Dodik. In February, the president was sentenced to a year in jail and banned from holding office for six years over violating directives from the international envoy charged with overseeing the peace in the country.
The separatist republic's president dismissed the ruling, which he can still appeal, as illegitimate, sparking a dispute between Dodik and his allies, Russia and Serbia, and the United States and European Union.
In defiance of the court ruling, the Bosnian Serb leader recently traveled to neighboring Serbia and attended an event with populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who is currently facing mass protests over government corruption.
From there, Dodik flew to Israel for a conference hosted by Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, which included far-right European party representatives and Paraguay's former president – himself sanctioned by the U.S. for ties to Hezbollah.
When asked about the arrest warrant, the Republika Srpska president blasted the country he wishes to disentangle from, as well as its legal system, responding that the warrant was "not unusual," a "misuse of the justice system" and that Bosnia "is a failed state."
Israel and Bosnia are both signatories to the European Convention on Extradition, which obligates member states to extradite suspects upon request – subject to certain exceptions. Israel's Justice Ministry declined to comment on whether Bosnia had submitted an extradition request for President Milorad Dodik.
A source involved in organizing the conference told Haaretz at the time that Dodik left the venue early, saying that "He was there for barely an hour and didn't attend the main sessions."
Asked whether he left voluntarily or was asked to leave, the source said that the president was "politely encouraged to leave." The Diaspora Affairs Ministry said Dodik later returned to the event.
According to the FARA filings and other public sources, Zell previously donated to the campaign of Senator Marco Rubio – who now serves as Secretary of State in the Trump administration.
Ironically, Rubio recently posted on social media criticizing Zell's client, saying that "The actions of Republika Srpska President Dodik undermine Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions and threaten its security and stability." He called on the United States' regional partners to "push back against this dangerous and destabilizing behavior."
The actions of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik are undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions and threatening its security and stability. Our nation encourages political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to engage in constructive and responsible dialogue. We call…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 8, 2025
In response to a question from Haaretz, Zell, whose firm specializes in international legal advocacy and has represented Israelis facing similar legal entanglements, said the claims were "incomplete, inaccurate and therefore misleading. Beyond that, I do not wish to comment".
Omer Benjakob
Mar 31, 2025
Attorney Marc Zell, chair of the Republican Party in Israel, recently registered as a lobbyist on behalf of Republika Srpska, the president of which was issued an international arrest warrant as he was attending a conference in Israel hosted by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry.
One of Zell's lobbying goals is getting U.S. sanctions imposed on the secessionist, pro-Russian republic's president, Milorad Dodik, lifted.
Under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), any American citizen or firm representing a foreign entity must disclose such activity in advance. According to U.S. filings, In January, Zell's firm – Zell & Associates International Advocates – registered as a lobbyist for Republika Srpska – one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Zell, who resides in the West Bank settlement of Kfar Etzion, listed that address on the registration. His firm, documents show, maintains offices in New York, Washington, Toronto, Moscow, and Amman. The filing states that Zell is to receive $840,000 for his services.
The filing includes the full contract between Zell's firm and Dodik's chief of staff – who acted on behalf of the separatist republic's presidency – outlining the goals of the lobbying effort.
The primary objective, as is written in the contract, is "to create and promote a dialogue between the [Republika Srpska] and the incoming Trump 2.0 Administration aimed at improving relations between the RS and its leadership and the United States."
According to the documents, this potential rapprochement is advanced "in light of the evolving geo-political conditions affecting the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe caused, among other things, by the Ukrainian-Russian War and its possible termination."
The registration is dated January 13 – just a week before Trump's return to the White House and well before his administration began any talks with Russia or Ukraine regarding an end to the war, which began with Russia's invasion in 2022.
Zell, whose firm specializes in international legal advocacy and has represented Israelis facing similar legal entanglements, responded to Haaretz's request for comment, saying that "The information you provided to me is incomplete, inaccurate and therefore misleading. Beyond that, I do not wish to comment."
Dodik, 66, is the political leader of Bosnia's Serb-majority entity and is known for his secessionist, pro-Russian views. He has repeatedly called for Republika Srpska to break away from Bosnia, a country founded as a result of the break-up of Yugoslavia. Because of these positions, he is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions – but enjoys support from Moscow.
In 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed severe sanctions on Dodik over corruption and for undermining the Dayton Accords, the peace agreement that ended the Bosnian War in 1995. The accords established a single state made up of two entities: Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, linked by a weak central government and supervised by an international envoy whose role is to prevent the multi-ethnic Balkan state from slipping back into conflict.
The contract with Zell reflects Dodik's aim to detach the Serb republic from the Bosnian state. The agreement states that Zell will lobby the U.S. administration and Congress to reconsider the Dayton Accords – long opposed by Dodik.
The lobbying contract explicitly states that Zell will work to try to get the personal sanctions against the president and his family removed. He will also work for the removal of sanctions on Željka Cvijanović, the former president of Republika Srpska and now its representative in Bosnia's tripartite presidency. Zell and his firm will receive a bonus if they succeed.
Arrest Warrant Issued During Israeli Visit
Last Thursday, a Bosnian court issued an international arrest warrant for President Dodik. In February, the president was sentenced to a year in jail and banned from holding office for six years over violating directives from the international envoy charged with overseeing the peace in the country.
The separatist republic's president dismissed the ruling, which he can still appeal, as illegitimate, sparking a dispute between Dodik and his allies, Russia and Serbia, and the United States and European Union.
In defiance of the court ruling, the Bosnian Serb leader recently traveled to neighboring Serbia and attended an event with populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, who is currently facing mass protests over government corruption.
From there, Dodik flew to Israel for a conference hosted by Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, which included far-right European party representatives and Paraguay's former president – himself sanctioned by the U.S. for ties to Hezbollah.
When asked about the arrest warrant, the Republika Srpska president blasted the country he wishes to disentangle from, as well as its legal system, responding that the warrant was "not unusual," a "misuse of the justice system" and that Bosnia "is a failed state."
Israel and Bosnia are both signatories to the European Convention on Extradition, which obligates member states to extradite suspects upon request – subject to certain exceptions. Israel's Justice Ministry declined to comment on whether Bosnia had submitted an extradition request for President Milorad Dodik.
A source involved in organizing the conference told Haaretz at the time that Dodik left the venue early, saying that "He was there for barely an hour and didn't attend the main sessions."
Asked whether he left voluntarily or was asked to leave, the source said that the president was "politely encouraged to leave." The Diaspora Affairs Ministry said Dodik later returned to the event.
According to the FARA filings and other public sources, Zell previously donated to the campaign of Senator Marco Rubio – who now serves as Secretary of State in the Trump administration.
Ironically, Rubio recently posted on social media criticizing Zell's client, saying that "The actions of Republika Srpska President Dodik undermine Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions and threaten its security and stability." He called on the United States' regional partners to "push back against this dangerous and destabilizing behavior."
The actions of Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik are undermining Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions and threatening its security and stability. Our nation encourages political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina to engage in constructive and responsible dialogue. We call…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 8, 2025
In response to a question from Haaretz, Zell, whose firm specializes in international legal advocacy and has represented Israelis facing similar legal entanglements, said the claims were "incomplete, inaccurate and therefore misleading. Beyond that, I do not wish to comment".
