Deepening diplomatic ties in Europe, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar inaugurated the Embassy of Israel in Slovenia on Wednesday in Ljubljana. The newly established mission marks Israel’s first permanent resident embassy in the country and the fifth new Israeli embassy opened worldwide in just a year and a half. Ambassador Ruth Cohen-Dar will lead the mission.
1+The historic launch comes after years of diplomatic chill between Jerusalem and Ljubljana. The previous Slovenian administration was known for adopting sharply hostile positions toward Israel, which included suspending direct Israir flights to the capital, freezing bilateral defense procurements, and even declaring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persona non grata.
A dramatic strategic shift followed the swearing-in of a new government last June, led by Prime Minister Janez Janša—a stalwart friend of Israel. The new administration swiftly scrapped prior restrictions, restored normalized engagement, and began actively backing Israel within international forums and the European Union.
1+During the diplomatic visit, the two nations signed expansive bilateral cooperation agreements covering education, sports, academic research, and student exchange scholarships. Accompanying Foreign Minister Sa’ar was an Israeli commercial delegation comprising senior executives from leading economic bodies and enterprises, who participated in a joint Israeli-Slovenian business forum.
“We are inaugurating this embassy just two days before Rosh Hashanah, a holy day for the Jewish people,” stated Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. “This serves as a distinct symbol of fresh beginnings and renewed hope in bilateral relations between our countries.” Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer added: “Today, we signed comprehensive cooperation agreements between our two nations across multiple fields. We aspire for relations with Israel to be open, robust, and grounded in mutual trust.”