In a landmark decision, Slovenia has become the first European Union member state to impose a complete ban on the import, export, and transit of arms and military equipment to and from Israel.
The decision, led by Prime Minister Robert Golub, was approved during a cabinet session on Thursday, July 31, and announced via an official government statement.
“Due to internal disagreements and divisions, the European Union is currently unable to carry out this task,” the statement read.
This move comes amid growing criticism of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the European Union’s failure to take concrete action regarding Israel.
On Thursday, July 31, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry summoned the Israeli ambassador in Ljubljana to formally protest what it described as the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The ministry condemned the ongoing obstruction of urgent humanitarian assistance.
This comes just weeks after Slovenia declared two Israeli ministers persona non grata, joining growing international condemnation of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the lack of meaningful response from the EU.
In June 2024, Slovenia’s parliament passed legislation officially recognising the State of Palestine. The move aligned the country with Ireland, Norway, and Spain—other European nations that have taken similar stances amid global outrage over Israel’s military actions.
