Less than an hour after Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša took office, he ordered the removal of the Palestinian flag from the Government Palace (Vladna palača) in the capital, Ljubljana.
The move is widely seen as a signal of the new government’s support for Israel.
According to Al Jazeera, the Palestinian flag had flown outside the Government Palace for the past two years. Janša reportedly ordered it to be taken down shortly after assuming office.
Under the previous government led by former Prime Minister Robert Golob, Slovenia adopted a strongly pro-Palestinian stance. Golob’s administration accused Israel of violating international law and carrying out what it described as genocidal acts in Gaza.
The previous government also made Slovenia the first member state of the European Union to ban all arms trade with Israel. It further recognized Palestine as an independent state, declared two Israeli ministers persona non grata, and joined Ireland, Spain and Norway in formally recognizing Palestinian statehood.
Janša, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and a vocal supporter of Israel, is expected to reverse several policies introduced by the previous government in support of Palestine.
Israel welcomed the change. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel plans to open its first embassy in Ljubljana, marking a new chapter in relations between the two countries.
