GENEVA – Slovenia will become the first EU member state to formally declare two Israeli ministers as persona non grata, citing their role in what it called the “unbearable situation” in Gaza, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon announced Thursday.
“After today’s government session, we have adopted the decision to declare the Israeli Minister of National Security (Itamar Ben-Gvir) and the Finance Minister (Bezalel Smotrich) as persona non grata in the Republic of Slovenia,” Fajon said, according to a post shared by the Slovenian Foreign Ministry on X.
“This is pressure on the Israeli government to improve the unbearable situation in Gaza and end the suffering of civilians,” she said.
Slovenia’s move follows its June recognition of the State of Palestine.
ANADOLU, 17.7.2025