Slovenia turns Israeli ally with new embassy
A chill has set in between much of Europe and Israel recently over its treatment of Palestinians, but the Alpine nation of Slovenia is bucking the trend. Under nationalist Prime Minister Janez Jansa Slovenia is launching a diplomatic reset of its relationship with Israel, which will send its foreign minister to open its first embassy in Ljubljana on Wednesday.
Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Jansa has inaugurated the nation's first embassy in Israel, marking a shift in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Jansa, who is often at odds with the European Union, has defied EU policies on Israel's treatment of Palestinians and reversed his government's previous stance. The new embassy was opened by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who praised Jansa for his courage and clarity amidst "EU hypocrisy."
Slovenia has also lifted its ban on imports from West Bank settlements and scrapped entry bans on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two of his ministers. However, not all Slovenians support the move; a June poll found that 56% of Slovenians opposed closer ties with Israel. Some rights groups have announced protests against the embassy's inauguration, and the opposition has criticized the move.
Jansa has faced accusations of being a "Trojan horse" for the U.S. and Israel in the EU, with former President Danilo Turk stating that Slovenia has become an "instrument of Israeli policy."
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