Slovenia’s new conservative government on Thursday abolished an entry ban on Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and two of his ministers, ending the policies of his antisemitic predecessor, Robert Golob, who shortly before leaving office banned an Israir flight from landing in the country, forcing it to circle in the air before landing in Croatia.

The government of Prime Minister Janez Jansa also lifted a ban on imports from Jewish settlements and ended an embargo on the export and transit of military weapons and equipment to and from Israel, the official STA news agency reported.

Jansa’s government took office earlier this month following a parliamentary election in March. Jansa has said he would seek to improve ties with Israel, in contrast to the policies of his predecessor.

Under Golob, Slovenia was one of the most vocal critics of Israel in the European Union. The small Alpine nation recognized a Palestinian state in 2024, before imposing the entry bans in 2025 on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Netanyahu.

Shortly after taking office, Jansa’s government removed a Palestinian flag from the government building, also symbolically marking the policy shift. Slovenia’s liberal president, Natasa Pirc Musar, then raised the flag on the presidency building.

Also this month, Israel announced that it would open an embassy in Slovenia. The country’s embassy in the Austrian capital Vienna has previously covered Israel’s diplomatic interests in neighboring Slovenia.

Jansa is serving his fourth term in office. The political veteran is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election in April.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem & AP)