Slovenia bans arms trade with Israel over its actions in Gaza

Slovenia has announced that it will ban the import, export and transit of all weapons to and from Israel in response to the country's actions in Gaza.

Slovenia, which often criticised Israel over reported atrocities in Gaza, called the ban, announced late on Thursday, "the first such move by a European Union member state.”

Early in July, Slovenia banned two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country, accusing them of inciting "extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians” with "their genocidal statements.”

In June 2024, Slovenia’s parliament passed a decree recognizing Palestinian statehood, following in the steps of Ireland, Norway and Spain.

Tiny Slovenia has almost no arms trade with Israel and the decision to ban weapons trade with Israel is mainly a diplomatic message meant to step up pressure as international outrage over Israel's conduct and images of starvation in Gaza grows.

Last year, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government suspended exports of some weapons to Israel because they could be used to break international law. Spain says it halted arms sales to Israel in October 2023. The Netherlands has also cracked down on weapons trade with Israel, and there are court cases in France and Belgium around weapons trade with Israel, but none of the three has announced a blanket ban on all trade and transit similar to what Slovenia announced Friday.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob has said on multiple occasions that Slovenia would act unilaterally in the absence of concerted EU action, the state STA news agency reported.

"The EU is currently incapable of completing this task due to internal discord and disunity,” the government press release said.

"The result thereof is shameful: People in Gaza are dying because they are systematically denied humanitarian aid. They are dying under rubble, without access to drinking water, food and basic health care.”

Associated Press