Thousands protest in Ljubljana as Slovenia opens Israel’s first embassy
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Ljubljana to oppose the opening of Israel’s new embassy in Slovenia after Prime Minister Janez Jansa moved to reset relations with Israel. The embassy inauguration has provoked mass protests, a parliamentary impeachment proposal and renewed debate over the government’s foreign policy direction.
Why It Matters
The decision reverses policies of the previous government that had recognized a Palestinian state and imposed measures against Israel, and it has triggered a significant domestic backlash including an impeachment bid — all occurring as several Western allies tighten rules on goods from Israeli settlements. The shift signals a notable change in Slovenia’s international alignments at a sensitive moment in global responses to the war in Gaza.
Key Facts
- Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Event: Opening of Israel's embassy in Slovenia
- Protests: Thousands marched past the hotel hosting the embassy inauguration
- Prime Minister: Janez Jansa (took office in July)
- Impeachment bid: Freedom Movement and the Left party submitted a proposal to parliament to impeach Jansa and seek removal of Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer
Large crowds assembled in Slovenia’s capital to protest the inauguration of Israel’s embassy, carrying placards in support of Palestine and denouncing the war in Gaza. Demonstrators marched past the hotel where the new mission was being opened, voicing that the embassy move made Slovenia look bad and criticizing the government’s new direction.
The embassy opening follows a diplomatic reversal by Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who has undone several measures introduced by his predecessor, Robert Golob. Under Golob, Slovenia had recognised a Palestinian state, imposed an arms embargo on Israel and banned imports from Israeli settlements as well as visits by senior Israeli officials; Jansa’s government removed the Palestinian flag from a government building soon after taking office and subsequently rescinded those measures.
The political fallout was immediate. The liberal Freedom Movement joined with the Left party to lodge a parliamentary impeachment proposal against Jansa, arguing the government’s foreign policy disproportionately serves Israel’s interests. A June poll by the daily Delo cited in reporting suggested 56 percent of Slovenians opposed closer ties with Israel while 14 percent supported them; a Slovenian analyst told the Associated Press that public opinion in the country of about two million people is largely against Israel or neutral.
At the inauguration, Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer framed the opening as the start of deeper dialogue and cooperation, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who traveled to Slovenia for the event, called it a historic moment and thanked the Slovenian government. The move took place as several Western countries were announcing tighter measures on Israeli settlements — the United Kingdom introduced a ban on trade with illegal settlements the day after the opening, and France and Canada said they would take similar action — and Israel retaliated to the UK decision by saying it would close the UK consulate in Jerusalem.
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