Slovenia becomes first EU country to impose arms embargo on Israel
"At the initiative of Prime Minister Robert Golob, the Slovenian government confirmed a decision prohibiting the export and transit of military weapons and equipment from or through the Republic of Slovenia to Israel, or the import from Israel to Slovenia," a government statement read.
Golob announced the decision after a government meeting, saying that his country is the first EU nation to take such a step.
Two weeks ago, Slovenia was also the first EU country to declare two Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, persona non grata, accusing them of making "genocidal statements" against Palestinians.
In June 2024, Slovenia followed Norway, Spain and Ireland in recognising Palestine as an independent state and has been among the most vocal European nations in its criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, with President Natasa Pirc Musar describing the onslaught as a genocide.
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In their meeting in mid-July, the EU's 27 foreign ministers failed to agree on the suspension of the controversial EU-Israel Association Agreement, which covers both trade and political relations. They also failed to agree on nine other possible measures against Israel put forward after it was found to have breached the human rights provisions of the trade agreement.
The measures that would have been agreed last month included full suspension of the agreement, suspension of its preferential trade provisions, an arms embargo, sanctions on Israeli ministers, or imposing a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine.
Slovenia's Golob has repeatedly stated that his government would act independently if the EU fails to take concrete measures against Israel by mid-July.
'People in Gaza are dying because humanitarian aid is systematically denied them. They are dying under the rubble, without access to drinking water, food and basic medical care," Golob said.
"This is a complete denial of humanitarian access and a deliberate prevention of basic conditions for survival. In such circumstances, it is the duty of every responsible state to take action, even if it means taking a step ahead of others.'
The government added that more measures will be announced in the coming weeks in response to "serious violations of international humanitarian law" by Israel.
Other EU countries urge sanctions
On Thursday, Sweden and the Netherlands called on the EU to suspend the trade agreement with Israel over the continued Gaza siege and ban on the UN's humanitarian aid operations.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that the situation in Gaza had become "utterly deplorable" and that Israel was failing to uphold its obligations with regards to the delivery of aid.
Exclusive: Spain and Ireland to join more than 30 states to declare 'concrete measures' against Israel Read More »
"Sweden therefore demands that the EU, as soon as possible, freezes the trade component of the association agreement," he wrote on X.
"Economic pressure on Israel must increase. The Israeli government must allow unrestricted humanitarian aid in Gaza."
Two days earlier, a similar stance was taken by the Netherlands, as Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp advocated suspending the trade element of the Association Agreement if aid was not stepped up in Gaza.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has accused the EU of double standards for failing to apply sanctions to Israel.
'It makes absolutely no sense that we've passed 18 sanction packages on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine and Europe but, with double standards, haven't even been able to suspend the Association Agreement with Israel when they are flagrantly violating Article 2 in terms of human rights,' he said in June.
Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands have led efforts calling for the EU to review the Association Agreement since February 2024.
Israel's war on Gaza, now widely recognised as a genocide, has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Since the full siege imposed by Israel on 2 March, over 150 adults and children died of starvation and over 1,000 aid-seekers were killed while trying to reach the US-Israeli run aid distribution sites in southern Gaza.
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Most of the Moroccan Jews keep a low political profile; however, many members of the community condemn Israeli actions. Rabat is home to some renowned pro-Palestine Moroccan activists of Jewish origin, like Sion Assidon, a founding member of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement in Morocco. However, Middle East politics is not the only reason why the country's Jews decided to stay - or return. Haim Crespin, born in the northern Moroccan city of Ksar al-Bebir in 1957, described his reason to stay in the kingdom as "not politically motivated". 'Everything is being done to protect, support and preserve [the Jewish identity]. But its end seems inevitable, and even if it survives, it will be reduced to its simplest form' - Jacob Cohen, Moroccan Jewish author He was a child when the Jewish mass migration happened. "My father was a businessman, and we had a good life here. I also opened my restaurant 25 years ago. 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He himself decided to leave for France after he said he "encountered certain personal problems" when working as an assistant professor in Casablanca that made him think that "Moroccan Jews were generally right not to consider Moroccan society to be sufficiently tolerant and egalitarian to give Jews the positions they deserve". However, he recognises that the kingdom has made efforts to safeguard the country's historical Jewish identity. In 1997 the Foundation of Moroccan Jewish Heritage established the first Jewish museum in the Arab world in Casablanca, which still operates today. The foundation has preserved over 167 Jewish cemeteries and shrines throughout the kingdom. How a Jewish cemetery is bringing a Moroccan village to life Read More » In 2011, the new Moroccan constitution recognised the Hebraic identity as an integral part of Moroccan identity and, in 2020, King Mohammed VI approved the rollout of education on Jewish history and culture in primary schools. A prominent Moroccan Jewish adviser to the king, Andre Azoulay, played a role in emphasising the importance of this official recognition. "Everything is being done to protect, support and preserve it. But its end seems inevitable, and even if it survives, it will be reduced to its simplest form," Cohen said. "Nothing can be done against this verdict of history," he added, highlighting the major losses posed by Operation Yachin. "On the Moroccan side, everyone lost. The country lost a potential community of one to two million people who could have contributed to its development, diversity and harmony. "On the Jewish side, it was the irreversible eradication of a civilisation that had 15 centuries to form and flourish." When describing the migration period, Mergui likes to use the metaphor of people fleeing a burning building. "The Moroccan Jewish community was completely at a loss. 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