Slovenian lawmakers on Wednesday are launching a parliamentary caucus to support Israel, in a pushback against the central European country’s vocal support of the Palestinians.
The move comes nearly a year after the liberal Slovenian government recognized a Palestinian state amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, sparked by the terrorist group’s Oct. 7, 2023 massacre.
The new cross-party caucus—which opposes the government’s foreign policy on Israel—makes Slovenia the 55th nation to become part of an international network of parliamentary Israel Allies Caucuses around the globe based on faith-based diplomacy.
“With this initiative, we seek to further strengthen cooperation between our two countries in all areas, which has unfortunately stalled in recent years under the current Slovenian government of [Prime Minister] Robert Golob,” said Slovenian MP Zan Mahnic, chair of the Israel Allies Caucus. “This has been mainly due to the government’s criticism of Israel and its support for Hamas through its recognition of Palestine.”
The Slovenian opposition leader and former prime minister Janez Jansa, who backed the establishment of the pro-Israel parliamentary group that will serve as a counterweight to the government’s Middle East foreign policy, has pledged to relocate the Slovenian embassy to Jerusalem and to reverse Slovenia’s recognition of Palestine should he return to power.
“With Slovenia’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state, this caucus brings much-needed balance and provides a voice for those in Slovenian politics who understand the strategic and moral imperative of supporting Israel,” said Josh Reinstein, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Israel Allies Foundation. “It is a testament to the fact that even in complex political climates, Israel has steadfast allies who understand its importance to global peace and security.”
Last year, Slovenia’s public broadcaster even demanded that Israel be barred from the 2025 Eurovision song contest over the war in Gaza, but was rebuffed by the European Broadcasting Union.