Slovenia's New Prime Minister Pledges to Freeze Palestinian Recognition and Move Embassy to Jerusalem

Slovenia's newly appointed Prime Minister, Janez Janša, has announced a significant shift in the country's policy towards Israel shortly after receiving parliamentary approval. Within about 20 minutes of his swearing-in, Janša ordered the removal of the Palestinian flag that had flown over the government complex for the past two years. He sharply criticized the previous government for damaging relations with Israel, calling Israel a strategic partner that contributes to regional stability and the fight against terrorism, and shares democratic values with Europe.

Janša declared his intention to relocate Slovenia's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to strengthen cooperation with Israel. He also vowed to oppose any European Union attempts to impose sanctions on Israel, emphasizing that Israel is one of Europe's most important allies rather than a problem. Regarding Palestine, Janša stated that the left-wing government had illegally recognized the Palestinian state, and his government will freeze this recognition. This stance was a condition for his party's participation in coalition negotiations, which all partners accepted.