On July 17th, local time, the Slovenian Foreign Minister Fajnar announced that
Israel’s National Security Minister Itmar Ben-Gvir
and Finance Minister Bisat Shemtorich
have been declared “unwelcome persons”.
The reason given was their key role in causing the intolerable situation in Gaza. Fajnar also stated that this would make Slovenia the first EU country to officially make such a decision.
Ben-Gvir and Shemtorich are key members of the Israeli government coalition led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is extremely hardline on the issue of Palestine. They advocate for the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank in violation of international law and oppose ceasefires in the Gaza Strip. (CCTV Report)