Slovenian Defense Minister Expresses Support for Israeli Sovereignty in West Bank

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, held a series of meetings with top Slovenian government officials in Slovenia, including Defense Minister Valentin Haidinjak and Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek. During these meetings, both ministers expressed solidarity with the Samaria region and officially declared their support for Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. These statements followed similar endorsements from Prime Minister Janez Janša and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Jernej Vrtovec, who also voiced support for Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

Dagan presented the strategic importance of Judea and Samaria for Israel's security and that of the entire Western world. Discussions also covered security threats posed by the establishment of a "terror state" in the heart of the region and the diplomatic struggle against attempts to impose sanctions on settlements and their residents. This comes amid the backdrop of the UK's decision to impose broad sanctions on Judea and Samaria.

During his meeting with Vrtovec, Dagan urged the Slovenian government to continue supporting Israel and to oppose European efforts to penalize settlements. Vrtovec, wearing a Samaria pin, affirmed his government's support for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Minister Haidinjak stated, "I want to support sovereignty in Judea and Samaria," and Podgoršek added, "We will work together for the security of Slovenia and Israel."

Dagan, a long-time friend of Prime Minister Janša, has worked for years to present the reality in Judea and Samaria and to deepen support for Israel's right to act for its security. The meetings occurred amidst a public dispute within Slovenia's leadership regarding its policy toward Israel and Judea and Samaria, with President Nataša Pirc Musar clashing with the government's stance.

These developments coincide with the reopening of the Israeli Embassy in Slovenia, following a renewal of warm relations between the two countries, spearheaded by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. Dagan is expected to attend the embassy's reopening ceremony. Dagan praised Ashkenazi's work at the Foreign Ministry, calling it "groundbreaking" in public diplomacy and strategy.