Slovenia Becomes First EU Nation to Ban Weapons Trade with Israel Amid Gaza Crisis
Slovenia has taken a bold and unprecedented step in the European Union by officially halting all weapons trade with Israel, citing Tel Aviv’s continued military actions in Gaza. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Robert Golob on Friday and marks a dramatic escalation in Slovenia’s criticism of Israel’s conduct, reported by Euro News.
According to a statement released on the Slovenian government’s website, the ban will apply to the export, import, and transit of military equipment between Slovenia and Israel. The move was initiated by Golob, who had previously vowed to act independently should the EU fail to take a unified stance against Israel by mid-July.
“The European Union is currently unable to take concrete measures due to internal disagreements and lack of unity,” the statement noted. Slovenia’s government has been among the most vocal within the bloc in calling for a ceasefire and ramped-up humanitarian aid to Gaza. The country also formally recognized Palestinian statehood in June 2024.
While the EU has reviewed its association agreement with Israel and confirmed human rights violations in Gaza, no consensus was reached on sanctions. Notably, an EU-wide arms embargo was never officially proposed, despite international rules that recommend such actions in cases of war crimes or severe human rights breaches.
Slovenia’s move follows similar, though less comprehensive, restrictions by Italy, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Israel continues to rely heavily on the United States for military imports—nearly 70%—with Germany ranking second, having exported over €485 million worth of weapons since October 2023.
In a further show of protest, Slovenia also declared two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, as personae non gratae.
