Slovenia Opens Israel's First Permanent Embassy; Pro-Palestinian Protests Erupt in Ljubljana

According to Al Jazeera's report dated September 9, 2026, pro-Palestinian protests erupted in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana against Israel's opening of its first permanent embassy in the country.

This is Israel's first permanent embassy established in Slovenia. Al Jazeera's report noted that the move marks Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša's reversal of measures adopted by the predecessor government toward Israel, though the specific content was not stated in the report.

The protests took place against the backdrop of Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza. As a member of the European Union and NATO, Slovenia's policy shift on the Israeli-Palestinian issue continues a trend in recent years among some Western countries tilting toward Israel. Pro-Palestinian protesters in Ljubljana took to the streets to openly oppose their government's diplomatic upgrade with Israel, indicating that this diplomatic direction is not without domestic public opposition. The specific scale and number of participants in the protests have not been disclosed.