Slovenia Imposes Arms Embargo on Israel

Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Various Sources

Slovenia has become the first European Union country to impose a complete arms embargo on Israel in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza announcing the decision July 31.

The Embargo includes a ban on import, export, and transit of weapons to and from Israel. The Slovenian government noted that no permits for military equipment exports to Israel have been issued since October 2023. The country is acting independently, citing EU inaction due to internal disagreements.

Prime Minister Robert Golob stated it was Slovenia’s “duty” to act amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The government cited systematic denial of humanitarian aid and serious violations of international law by Israel. Slovenia had previously declared two far-right Israeli ministers persona non grata, accusing them of inciting violence.

Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon has called for trade sanctions, suspension of Israel’s EU Accession Agreement, and targeted sanctions against violent Israeli settlers and ministers.

While the ban is largely symbolic it does show an increasing shift in the positions of a number of European governments as Israel's unrelenting genocide continues.

Slovenia joins 12 countries from the Global South that committed to an arms embargo on Israel at the Emergency Ministerial Conference on Palestine organized by The Hague Group, which took place on July 15 and 16 in Bogotá, Colombia. The country also recognized Palestinian statehood in June 2024, joining countries like Ireland, Norway, and Spain.