Slovenia has declared Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu persona non grata, barring him from entering the country, the government announced after a cabinet meeting.
Neva Grasic, the state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, said on Thursday that the decision is prompted by the ongoing proceedings against Netanyahu “for war crimes and crimes against humanity” in light of the Israeli regime’s ongoing genocidal military campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip.
This measure "sends a clear message" to Israel, Grasic said, adding that "Slovenia expects full respect for the rulings of international courts and international humanitarian law."
She recalled that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in July 2024 that numerous Israeli policies and practices breached both humanitarian and human rights law, highlighting that countries, including Slovenia, are required not to recognize or aid in sustaining “the unlawful situation resulting from Israel's illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
Grasic also referenced a report from the UN Human Rights Council’s independent investigative commission on Gaza dated September 16, 2025, which determined that Israel’s actions constituted genocide.
“This was the first time the UN described Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocidal,” she said.
In July, the Slovenian government designated Israel's so-called minister of national security Itamar Ben-Gvir and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as personae non gratae, lambasting them for inciting violence and engaging in serious human rights violations with their “genocidal statements.”
In conjunction with the action taken against Netanyahu, Slovenia has approved a contribution of €1.2 million ($1.3 million) to assist in the operations of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.
“Since Slovenia recognized the state of Palestine on June 4, 2024, and actively participates in initiatives for a [so-called] two-state solution, it is essential to reinforce political support with financial resources,” she said.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on the besieged coastal territory.
At least 65,502 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and another 167,367 individuals injured in the brutal Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the health ministry of Gaza.
[SRC] https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/09/26/755735/Slovenia-declares-Israeli-PM-Netanyahu-persona-non-grata-for-war-crimes-amid-Gaza-genocide
