Israel Opens Embassy in Slovenia, Bolstering Ties Amid EU Dynamics
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi inaugurated a new Israeli embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Wednesday, marking the first diplomatic mission of its kind in the country. The temporary embassy, established in a central Ljubljana office building, is set to operate for a few months before relocating to a permanent site within the same building. This rapid establishment was driven by the need to solidify relations with Slovenia, which has recently reversed previous anti-Israel policies.
Slovenia's shift includes rescinding bans on Israeli flights, revoking recognition of a Palestinian state, removing the Palestinian flag from its foreign ministry, ending an arms embargo on Israel, and withdrawing a declaration labeling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as persona non grata. The country also signaled its intent to move its embassy to Jerusalem and has dramatically altered its stance within the European Union, becoming a strong ally for Israel.
This burgeoning friendship was evident when Slovenia, alongside the Czech Republic, vetoed an EU initiative to condemn Israel's construction plans in E-1. A senior diplomatic source explained that this move was crucial, as the Czech Republic would have been unable to block such a resolution alone within the EU. The urgency to open the embassy in Ljubljana was thus to provide support for the Czechs, preventing them from being isolated on this issue.
Foreign Minister Ashkenazi instructed his director-general to expedite the embassy's opening, a process completed in an unprecedented three months. Following the inauguration, Ashkenazi led a delegation of Israeli businesspeople to Ljubljana to further strengthen bilateral ties across various sectors. The establishment of the temporary embassy received security approval, with assurances that there would be no overlapping costs once the permanent location is ready.
Senior officials dismissed claims that the embassy's opening was politically motivated ahead of elections, emphasizing that Ashkenazi has consistently pursued embassy expansions as part of his foreign policy, having opened six new embassies in the past 18 months.
