A high-profile diplomatic meeting took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where incoming Prime Minister Janez Janša formally received his longtime friend, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan. The meeting came only days after Janša took office and was described as one of his first diplomatic encounters as prime minister.
The talks followed a series of sweeping decisions by Slovenia’s new government, including ending the ban on imports from Judea and Samaria and lifting the arms embargo on Israel. Janša and Dagan have kept in close contact for years, and after Slovenia’s recent elections they met in Ljubljana before the new government was formed. They have also held meetings and tours in Samaria and in the Slovenian capital.
Until about a month ago, Slovenia was considered one of Israel’s most hostile European countries, alongside Spain and Ireland. In May last year, its government formally recognized a Palestinian state, and in the summer it imposed an unprecedented ban on imports from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and on arms trade with Israel. Slovenia was the first European country to adopt such an official boycott decision.
The meeting now signals a sharp shift in Slovenia’s foreign policy toward Israel and the settlements. Dagan thanked Janša, saying that all of Israel, especially the pioneers in Judea and Samaria, appreciate him. Janša replied, “Thank you very much. God bless the residents of Judea and Samaria. May the friendship between Israel and Slovenia long endure.”
