Thousands protest in Ljubljana as Slovenia opens Israel’s first embassy
Nationalist Prime Minister Janez Jansa resets ties with Israel, sparking protests and an impeachment bid.
Thousands of people have rallied in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, in protest against the opening of Israel’s first embassy in the European Union country.
The protest on Wednesday came as Slovenia’s nationalist prime minister, Janez Jansa, pushed through a diplomatic reset with Israel, a sharp reversal from his predecessor, Robert Golob, whose government had described the Israeli war on Gaza as a “genocide”.
In Ljubljana, thousands marched past the hotel where the embassy’s inauguration was taking place, carrying banners reading “We stand together for peace and Palestine” and “Genocide is not self-defence”.
The party also sought to remove Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer, and described the embassy opening as “a return of the favour” for Israel’s alleged support of Jansa during the March election.