Slovenia on Thursday imposed an arms embargo on Israel citing the European Union’s failure to take action to stop Israel’s assault on Gaza, reports the Middle East Eye.
“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.
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.
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.
“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.
