Slovenia becomes 1st European country to impose full arms embargo on Israel

Israeli figures rant as ‘import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel’ banned by government

Slovenia has become the first EU country to impose a complete ban on the import, export, and transit of weapons to and from Israel, in a decision was made yesterday by Slovenia’s coalition government after years of pressure by socialist party Levica, one one of three partners in the coalition – and after Slovenia warned the EU that it would act unilaterally or in concert with other ‘like-minded’ EU states if the EU failed to take action. Last month, the EU decided to continue close relations with Israel and only to maintain a ‘watching brief’ on its actions.

Slovenian recognised Palestine as a state in June last year.

People in Gaza are dying because humanitarian aid is systematically denied to them. They are dying under the rubble, without access to drinking water, food, and basic healthcare. This is complete obstruction of humanitarian access and deliberate prevention of essential conditions for survival. In such conditions, it is the duty of every responsible state to act, even if it means taking a step ahead of others.

Golob announced that the government is also preparing additional national measures against Israel because of its flagrant and continual violations of international humanitarian law. No licences for the export or transit of weapons and military equipment to Israel have been approved since October 2023 because of Israel’s war on the people of Gaza. The Slovenian government has instructed its Ministry of Defence to strictly enforce Article 77 of the Defence Act and the regulations on the production and licensing of military weapons and equipment and the import, export, transit, and transfer of all military-related products because of Israel’s huge and indisputable violations of international law, humanitarian law and human rights. Any imports of arms from Israel into Slovenia are also affected.

Israeli government figures have ranted that the ban is irrelevant because there is no current arms trade and accused Slovenia of a political stunt.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon has called on all UN member states that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so immediately. Last month Slovenia banned fascist Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir from entering the country for their incitement of “extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians” and “their genocidal statements.”

Please remember to support Skwawkbox if you can, to help ensure it can keep running. The site is provided free of charge but depends on the support of its readers to be viable. If you’d like to help it keep revealing the news as it is and not what the Establishment wants you to hear – and can afford to without hardship – please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here to set up a monthly donation via GoCardless (Skwawkbox will contact you to confirm the GoCardless amount as it has to be entered by us). Alternatively, if you prefer to make a one-off or recurring donation by simple card payment, please use the form below:

Thanks for your solidarity so Skwawkbox can keep doing its job of inconveniencing the right and helping to build the left!

If you wish to republish this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so, but please include the donor information above – see here for more.