Slovenia leads the way with first EU ban on arms trade with Israel amid Gaza crisis

Slovenia has become the first European Union member state to impose a complete ban on the import, export, and transit of military weapons and equipment to and from Israel. The decision, adopted during a remote government session on 29 July, follows months of growing frustration in Ljubljana over the EU’s failure to agree on coordinated action in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The embargo, which Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob had publicly threatened if EU consensus was not reached by mid-July, reflects mounting tensions within the bloc over its Middle East policy.

“The European Union is currently incapable of fulfilling this task due to internal disagreements and disunity,” the government stated, quoted by EUalive’s partner Siol. “The result is shameful: people in Gaza are dying because humanitarian aid is systematically denied to them.”

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The government described its move as both a legal and moral imperative. “This is a complete obstruction of humanitarian access and a conscious denial of the basic conditions for survival,” the statement continued.

“In such circumstances, it is the duty of every responsible state to act, even if that means stepping ahead of others. Slovenia consistently and resolutely defends respect for international law and the protection of human rights.”

The ban was enacted through existing provisions under Slovenia’s Government Act and Defence Act, specifically instructing the Ministry of Defence to deny all future permits related to arms transfers involving Israel, including transit through Slovenian territory. The only exception allowed under the decision concerns equipment necessary for Slovenia’s own national security and resilience.

Although the Slovenian Ministry of Defence has not approved any new arms exports to Israel since the start of the war in Gaza on 7 October 2023, it had until now allowed limited transit of arms from non-EU countries through Slovenian territory. Three such transit permits were granted between October 2023 and July 2025. With this latest decision, such movements are now officially barred.

Between October 2023 and June 2024, Slovenia exported only small quantities of military components to Israel, such as mortar parts and aluminium castings, based on licenses issued prior to the outbreak of the conflict. No new licences have been granted since, Slovenian media report.

Slovenia’s latest move comes amid a pattern of increasingly assertive foreign policy steps that set it apart from most of its EU counterparts. In early July, the government declared two far-right Israeli ministers – Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, persona non grata, accusing them of inciting “extreme violence and serious human rights violations against Palestinians” through “genocidal rhetoric”.

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In June, Slovenia’s parliament formally recognised Palestinian statehood, following similar decisions by Ireland, Norway, and Spain. Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon later used a high-level UN conference in New York to call on other UN members to follow suit. During the same visit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reportedly referred to Slovenia as “a hero of Europe” for its principled stance.

Slovenia’s independent actions underline growing frustration with what it views as EU inaction in the face of a mounting humanitarian catastrophe. During the June European Council summit, Prime Minister Golob explicitly warned that if no joint EU measures were agreed by mid-July, Slovenia would act unilaterally.

A recent meeting of EU foreign ministers failed to produce any coordinated response to Israel’s conduct in Gaza or the West Bank, largely due to internal divisions among member states.

This latest decision now sets a precedent within the EU, potentially challenging Brussels’ cohesion on Middle East policy. By barring transit as well as bilateral arms trade, Slovenia has closed off a previously accessible logistical route for defence exports to Israel from other EU or non-EU countries.

Prime Minister Golob also announced further national measures against the Israeli government would follow in the coming weeks, targeting what the Slovenian government deems serious violations of international humanitarian law by Israel.

While the immediate military or economic impact of Slovenia’s embargo is likely limited given the country’s modest arms industry, its symbolic and political weight is considerable. It opens the door for other like-minded EU states to follow suit, potentially increasing diplomatic pressure on Brussels to reconsider its approach to Israel and Palestine.

More Slovenia coverage here.

Caption: Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob arrives to attend the EU leaders’ Summit in Brussels, Belgium, 26 June 2025. EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS