Thousands protest in Ljubljana as Slovenia opens Israel’s first embassy

Nationalist Prime Minister Janez Jansa resets ties with Israel, sparking protests and an impeachment bid.

Thousands of people have rallied in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, in protest against the opening of Israel’s first embassy in the European Union country.

The protest on Wednesday came as Slovenia’s nationalist prime minister, Janez Jansa, pushed through a diplomatic reset with Israel, a sharp reversal from his predecessor, Robert Golob, whose government had described the Israeli war on Gaza as a “genocide”.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 3How has Israel hit back against sanctions by the UK, others?
• list 2 of 3Inside Israel’s prisons, where Ben-Gvir’s cruelty is policy
• list 3 of 3Iran war looms over Trump at Republican midterm convention in Dallas

Jansa took office in July.

In Ljubljana, thousands marched past the hotel where the embassy’s inauguration was taking place, carrying banners reading “We stand together for peace and Palestine” and “Genocide is not self-defence”.

Urska Breznik, a 48-year-old art historian, called the Jansa administration a “collaboration” government. Another protester, Melina Sahernik, told the AFP news agency, “This makes Slovenia look very bad.”

A poll conducted by the daily newspaper Delo in June suggested that 56 percent of Slovenians opposed closer ties with Israel, while 14 percent supported them.

Andraz Zorko, a Slovenian political analyst, told The Associated Press news agency that the government’s policy shift does not align with what he believes is the prevailing public opinion in the nation of some 2 million people.

“The majority of Slovenian public is either against Israel or in some kind of neutral position,” he said.

The liberal Freedom Movement, led by former Prime Minister Golob, joined the Left party on Wednesday to submit a proposal to parliament to impeach Jansa, primarily over a foreign policy they said serves Israel’s interests exclusively.

The party also sought to remove Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer, and described the embassy opening as “a return of the favour” for Israel’s alleged support of Jansa during the March election.

Under Golob, Slovenia had recognised a Palestinian state and imposed an arms embargo on Israel, as well as a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and the entry of top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Upon taking office, Jansa immediately removed the Palestinian flag from the Slovenian government building where it was placed alongside the Slovenian, EU and Ukrainian flags. His government soon scrapped all measures against Israel.

At the embassy’s inauguration, Foreign Minister Kajzer said the event should “mark the beginning of a period of greater dialogue, stronger cooperation and, above all, more tangible results for the benefit of our people”, according to a post by his ministry on X.

Travelling to Slovenia for the event, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called it a “historic day” at a news conference.

“This is a clear expression of Israel’s commitment to our friendship and to its future,” Saar added, thanking the Slovenian government and ‌Jansa for their friendship towards Israel.

The opening of the embassy comes a day after the United Kingdom banned trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, and France and Canada announced they would take similar action.

The move is seen as a symbolic expression of displeasure with Israel by some of its closest allies, and it offers a new sign of the Israeli government’s growing isolation as a result of the genocidal war on Gaza.

Israel responded angrily and said it would close the UK consulate in Jerusalem.