Thousands protest in Ljubljana as Slovenia opens Israel’s first embassy

What the report says

Thousands of people protested in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Wednesday as the country opened Israel’s first embassy in the European Union member state, according to Al Jazeera’s report. The demonstration took place as nationalist Prime Minister Janez Jansa pressed ahead with a diplomatic shift toward Israel, reversing policies associated with the previous government of Robert Golob.

Protesters marched past the hotel hosting the embassy inauguration and carried signs backing Palestine and rejecting the idea that military action can be justified as self-defence. Some demonstrators told news agencies they saw the move as damaging to Slovenia’s reputation. A poll cited in the report suggested a majority of respondents in June opposed closer ties with Israel.

The article says the Freedom Movement and the Left party used the embassy opening to seek Jansa’s impeachment, arguing that his foreign policy served Israeli interests. They also moved to remove Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer. Under Golob, Slovenia had recognised a Palestinian state and imposed measures including an arms embargo on Israel and restrictions linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The embassy opening also drew comments from Slovenian and Israeli officials, who framed it as a step toward stronger cooperation. The development matters because it highlights public opposition inside Slovenia and reflects wider diplomatic tension over Israel’s war in Gaza and the international response to it.