Slovenia on September 25 prohibited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the country, deepening its diplomatic rift with Israel and reinforcing its support for Palestinian statehood.

The government said the travel ban was approved unanimously by the cabinet and follows measures already taken against two extremist Israeli ministers earlier this year. 

“Proceedings are underway against the Israeli Prime Minister for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity,” a government statement said, citing a July 19, 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice that “several Israeli policies and practices violate both international humanitarian law and human rights law.”

“With this move, the government sends a clear message to the State of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law,” it added, calling the step evidence of Ljubljana’s “commitment to international law, universal human rights values, and a principled and consistent foreign policy.”

The new ban follows a series of actions by the EU member. In July, Slovenia previously declared two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers persona non grata, citing their rhetoric and policies toward Palestinians.

In August, it became the first European country to impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, halting all exports, imports and transit of weapons and military equipment. Days later, the government announced a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, saying the trade of such goods violated international law.

Prime Minister Robert Golob has said those steps reflect “Slovenia’s duty to act when international humanitarian law is breached,” while stressing that Ljubljana supports a negotiated two-state solution.

Alongside the Netanyahu ban, the government unveiled fresh financial assistance for the Palestinian Authority. “In 2025, the government of the Republic of Slovenia will allocate a contribution to the operation of the Palestinian Authority in the total amount of €1,200,000, which the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs will implement through the EU PEGASE mechanism,” the statement said.

Officials described the funding as a means to help maintain Palestinian governance amid the conflict. “The continuous operation of the Palestinian Authority is essential for the establishment and preservation of Palestinian statehood,” the government said, noting that Slovenia recognised Palestine as a state on June 4, 2024.

Ljubljana also said it had been invited to join an Emergency Coalition for the Financial Sustainability of the Palestinian Authority launched in September by France, Spain, Norway and Saudi Arabia to provide $200mn per month over six months to bolster the Palestinian Authority. After the initial period, the coalition plans to evaluate the effectiveness of the aid.

Slovenia’s moves come as debate intensifies within the European Union over how to respond to Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, where humanitarian conditions have deteriorated sharply. Several EU member states have expressed concern over Israeli settlement expansion, but few have gone as far as Ljubljana in imposing punitive measures.

Relations between Slovenia and Israel had already been tense. Slovenia and Palestine have established diplomatic relations, and Golob’s government has urged the EU to take a stronger stance on upholding international law in the region.

The dispute has spilled into cultural arenas. Slovenia’s public broadcaster said this month it may reconsider participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest unless the European Broadcasting Union sets clearer rules on Israel’s involvement, citing “political and ethical concerns” voiced across several member states.