Slovenia Announces Arms Embargo as Pressure Builds Within EU for Punitive Action Against Israel

Latest Developments

Israel Dismisses Slovene Announcement: Slovenia has trumpeted its decision to become the first EU member state to impose an arms embargo on Israel, even as an Israeli spokesperson ridiculed the move as an empty gesture. In a July 31 statement, the Slovene government announced that “Slovenia is the first European country to ban the import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel.” In response, an Israeli official explained, “There is no defense procurement from Slovenia. We don’t buy so much as a pin from them. They simply decided on an embargo for the sake of the media, because they can, but it’s completely meaningless.” Slovenia’s ruling left-wing coalition has rounded on Israel on several occasions during the war in Gaza, pushing punitive action against the Jewish state at the International Court of Justice in January 2024 and unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state in June the same year.
Pressure Building to Suspend Trade Agreement: Sweden and the Netherlands also added to the pressure upon Israel coalescing within the European Union, urging the suspension of the trade component of the 27-member bloc’s Association Agreement with Israel. Describing the current humanitarian situation in Gaza as “utterly deplorable” and accusing Israel of “not fulfilling its most basic obligations,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated, “Sweden demands that the EU, as soon as possible, freezes the trade component of the association agreement. Economic pressure on Israel must increase.” Responding to Kristersson, Dutch Foreign Minister Casper Veldkamp said that he “welcomes that Sweden joins the Netherlands in our call.”
Germany Concerned by Israel’s Isolation: The Slovene and Swedish announcements came at the end of a week that also saw moves inside the European Commission, the main executive body of the European Union, to partially suspend Israel’s participation in the $110 billion Horizon science research program. The German government’s objections to this proposal have reportedly held up its progress. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadepuhl arrived in Jerusalem on August 1, where he expressed concern at Israel’s growing isolation and emphasized, “if there is one country that has a responsibility to prevent this, then in my view it is Germany.”

FDD Expert Response

“Many EU member states — Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Malta, Sweden, and others — are in thrall to performative gestures targeting Israel that routinely fail to sway the Israeli government and contribute nothing to ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Instead of demanding that Hamas surrender its arms and give up power, as the United States and several Arab states have done, these countries are instead intent on throwing these murderers and rapists a lifeline, thereby extending the suffering of civilians in Gaza.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director

“Assuming these European countries are well-meaning — and not merely targeting the Jewish state to quench the lust for Jewish blood unleashed following Hamas’s October 7 atrocities in Israel — their actions will have the opposite of their intended effect. Rather than bringing the war to a conclusion, they will encourage Hamas to hold out longer and not release hostages so long as Israel is the international scapegoat.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst