First in EU: Slovenia imposes entry ban on Benjamin Netanyahu

Slovenia has imposed an entry ban on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first such step by a European Union member, due to the proceedings initiated against him over war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague last November issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who had since been killed in an Israeli attack in Gaza, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The decision to declare Netanyahu a persona non grata sends "a clear message to the state of Israel that Slovenia expects consistent respect for the decisions of international courts and international humanitarian law," the government said on 25 September.

By doing so, Slovenia "confirms its commitment to international law, universal values of human rights and a principled and consistent foreign policy," it added.

"All countries that are bound by the international court, including Slovenia, must not recognise the situation resulting from Israel's illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory, and must not offer any support in maintaining this situation," Foreign Ministry State Secretary Neva Grašič said.

This is just the latest action against Israel since Slovenia recognised Palestine as an independent state last year.

In August, Slovenia became the first EU country to impose an arms embargo on Israel, following it up with a ban on all imports from illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

It had earlier declared two far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, personae non gratae, accusing them of making "genocidal statements" against Palestinians.

Since the start of the Israeli offensive on Gaza, Slovenia has been a vocal critic of Israel's and senior officials have repeatedly accused the Netanyahu government of genocide.