Slovenia becomes first EU nation to ban arms trade with Israel over Gaza war
The embargo, which includes the import, export, and transit of weapons to and from Israel, was announced by Prime Minister Robert Golob following a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
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"Slovenia is the first European country to ban the import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel," the government said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
It further noted that the decision was made independently because the European Union was "unable to adopt concrete measures ... due to internal disagreements and disunity."
Amid the devastating conflict in Gaza, where "people ... are dying because humanitarian aid is systematically denied them," the government added it was the "duty of every responsible state to take action, even if it means taking a step ahead of others," Al Jazeera reported.
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Slovenia's government also stated that it had not granted any permits for the export of military weapons and equipment to Israel since October 2023 due to the ongoing conflict.
Earlier in July, Slovenia also became the first EU nation to ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering its territory, declaring them persona non grata.
The ministers were accused of inciting "extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians" with "their genocidal statements," according to Al Jazeera.
In June 2024, Slovenia joined Ireland, Norway, and Spain in recognising Palestinian statehood. The parliamentary decree came in response to mounting global condemnation of Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza.
While other nations, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, have also indicated plans to recognise a Palestinian state, Israel has rejected such moves, calling them a reward for Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack.
Al Jazeera reported that Israel has been waging a nearly 22-month-long war in Gaza, which human rights groups and UN experts have compared to genocide. Over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the campaign, and many more are at risk due to Israel's ongoing blockade.
Meanwhile, several countries including South Africa have filed cases before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide.
Despite global outcry, the United States has remained a firm ally of Israel. US President Donald Trump has also warned that recognising Palestinian statehood would amount to rewarding Hamas, Al Jazeera added.
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