Israel opens first Slovenia embassy amid widening settlement dispute

Ljubljana,UPDATED: Sep 10, 2026 09:44 IST

Israel on Wednesday opened its first embassy in Slovenia, in a move aimed at strengthening ties with the European Union country at a time when its relations with some long-standing allies have come under strain over its policy on illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar travelled to Ljubljana for the opening, which also underlines a change in Slovenia's approach to Israel under right-wing Prime Minister Janez Jansa. The visit came a day after the United Kingdom banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, while France and Canada announced similar action.

After meeting Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer, Saar called the embassy opening a "historic day". According to the STA news agency, he described Israel as "the only democracy in the Middle East and almost the only real and true partner of Europe". He added, "Moreover, we are defending Europe, Europe's security, directly and indirectly," and said that "Israel is the fortress on the front line for Western civilisation".

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the new embassy building and demanded its closure. Kajzer said, according to a foreign ministry post on X, "we want today's opening to mark the beginning of a period of greater dialogue, stronger cooperation and, above all, more tangible results for the benefit of our people".

The latest diplomatic push comes as Israel faces growing criticism over the Gaza war. Israel reacted angrily to the British move on settlement trade and said it would close the British consulate in Jerusalem.

Slovenia's position on Israel has shifted sharply since Jansa took office in early June. The previous centre-left government led by Robert Golob had been among the strongest critics of Israel in the European Union. It recognised a Palestinian state in 2024 and later imposed a ban in 2025 on imports from Israeli settlements, an arms embargo and entry bans on top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

After taking office, Jansa removed the Palestinian flag from the Slovenian government building, where it had been displayed alongside the Slovenian, EU and Ukrainian flags. His government later scrapped all measures against Israel. This week, Jansa said on X that his government was working to repair the damage of the previous administration. "The economic damage alone due to the anti-Semitic policies of the Golob coalition is enormous," he said.

Golob accused his successor of blocking the EU from taking a tougher position on illegal settlements and told The Associated Press that the embassy opening marked "another step in the same direction of shifting away from international law". His Freedom Movement party said on Wednesday that it would seek to remove Jansa and Kajzer in Parliament. In August, media reports said Slovenia had pushed the EU to dilute a statement condemning Israeli settlements, prompting criticism at home and praise from Israeli officials. Kajzer told AP that "we never blocked anything" and that Slovenia was "constructively contributing to the discussion".

Slovenian political analyst Andraz Zorko said the policy shift did not reflect what he believed to be the dominant public mood in the country. "The majority of Slovenian public is either against Israel or in some kind of neutral position," he said. Until now, Israel's embassy in Vienna handled its diplomatic interests in neighbouring Slovenia.

Kajzer and Saar also signed a multi-sector cooperation agreement covering education, science, culture, youth and sport, according to STA. A business forum is also being held in Ljubljana. The embassy opening, protests outside it and the political reaction in Slovenia together highlighted both the upgrade in bilateral ties and the wider dispute over Israel's policies.

With PTI Inputs

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