Slovenia bans Israeli prime minister Netanyahu from entering the EU country

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LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia on Thursday said it was banning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the European Union country to underscore its defense of international law.

The decision was linked to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against the Israeli prime minister, Foreign Ministry official Neva Grasic said, according to the official STA news agency.

The EU nation of some 2 million people, which recognized a Palestinian state last year, has been a vocal critic of Israeli actions in Gaza and Thursday’s move against Netanyahu was apparently designed to underscore the country’s policies.

Slovenia already had barred Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country and imposed an arms embargo on Israel.

“All countries that are bound by the international court, including Slovenia, must not recognize the situation resulting from Israel’s illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, and must not offer any support in maintaining this situation,” she added.

The Slovenian government said on X that the decision sends “a clear message to the state of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law.”

By doing so, Slovenia “confirms its commitment to international law, universal values of human rights and a principled and consistent foreign policy,” the government added.