Ljubljana – The Slovenian government has designated Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as undesirable individuals, as announced by Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon. The government cites that the ministers incite violence and grave violations of Palestinian human rights through their genocidal rhetoric. This decision follows the EU foreign ministers’ failure to support actions against Israel, despite its human rights infractions.
By declaring the two ministers undesirable, Slovenia is taking a unique step within the EU that no other country has thus far undertaken, with additional national measures also under consideration.
“This serves as pressure on the Israeli government, and I believe we can continue this assertively in Slovenia,” she stated, should the situation in Gaza not improve.
The Slovenian government remarked that these ministers, through their genocidal remarks, provoke extreme violence and significant human rights violations against Palestinians. They openly promote the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, advocate for the forced displacement of Palestinians, and encourage violence against the Palestinian civilian population.
This governmental action comes in the wake of an EU-level meeting on Tuesday, where foreign ministers were unable to agree on measures targeting Israel for its human rights abuses. Prime Minister Robert Golob had previously mentioned that Slovenia would collaborate with other like-minded member states if the EU failed to take a stand against Israel.
Fajon criticized the recent EU decision to enhance humanitarian aid to Gaza, announced by the union’s foreign affairs representative Kaja Kallas, arguing that it is ineffective in practice. She pointed out the many Palestinians who have been killed in recent weeks while awaiting assistance, as well as the Israeli plan to relocate the entire Gaza population to the Rafah area in the southern part of the enclave.
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