LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s new conservative government on Thursday abolished an entry ban on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two of his ministers, marking a shift in policies toward Israel that had been pursued by the previous center-left government. The government of populist Prime Minister Janez Jansa also lifted a ban on imports from Jewish settlements and ended an embargo on the export and transit of military weapons and equipment to and from Israel, the official STA news agency reported.Jansa’s government took office earlier this month following a parliamentary election in March. Jansa has said he would seek to improve ties with Israel, in a contrast to the policies of his predecessor, Robert Golob.Under Golob, Slovenia was one of the most vocal critics of Israel in the European Union. The small Alpine nation recognized a Palestinian state in 2024, before imposing the entry bans in 2025 on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Netanyahu.
Ben-Gvir was banned also by France last month. He has sparked global outrage after promoting a video of himself taunting the activists from a flotilla to Gaza who were detained by Israeli police.
