Slovenia Denies Entry of Israeli Ministers Over Gaza Genocide
(MENAFN) Slovenia took a decisive stand on Saturday by denying entry to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, condemning their “genocidal statements” and incitements to violence targeting Palestinians.
Both ministers play pivotal roles in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition and are notorious for their far-right stances, particularly regarding the Gaza conflict and West Bank policies.
The ministry stated that the two Israeli officials “made genocidal statements and incited extreme violence and severe human rights violations against Palestinians.” It also charged them with openly promoting the “expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank” alongside acts of violence targeting the Palestinian people.
Their rhetoric and policies, according to Slovenia, contribute to the ethnic cleansing of both the West Bank and Gaza.
Ben-Gvir, leader of the extremist nationalist Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party and the official responsible for police oversight, has a history of refusing to detain Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians.
The EU member state’s rebuke follows Smotrich’s leadership of the Religious Zionism Party, which advocates for the annexation of Palestinian lands.
Both ministers have controversially proposed halting all humanitarian aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas into releasing Israeli hostages.
Slovenia’s announcement came just days after EU foreign ministers delayed sanctions against Israel over its Gaza actions, opting instead to “keep a close watch” on Israel’s commitments to increase aid to the Palestinian territory.
Last month, several Western countries—including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway—imposed sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, accusing them of inciting violence against Palestinian populations.
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