Israel Embassy in Slovenia Officially Opens in Ljubljana
The Israel embassy in Slovenia officially opened on September 9, 2026, in Ljubljana. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Slovenian counterpart Tone Kajzer attended the inaugural ceremony. The mission’s establishment follows a political shift in Slovenia after the center-right government led by Prime Minister Janez Janša took power in March 2026.
Previously, diplomatic contacts between the nations were managed through a non-resident ambassador based in Vienna. The new Slovenian leadership reversed restrictions imposed by Robert Golob’s administration. These lifted measures included an entry ban for Israeli officials, an arms embargo, and restrictions on importing goods from Israeli settlements.
The Israeli Foreign Minister described the diplomatic mission’s opening as a historic day. Gideon Sa’ar noted that this is the fifth new Israeli representative office to begin operations over the past 18 months. Rut Cohen-Dar, appointed in July 2026, serves as Israel’s first resident ambassador in Ljubljana.
During the visit, representatives of both countries signed a cooperation memorandum covering education, science, culture, youth policy, and sports. An economic forum featuring Israeli entrepreneurs also took place. Diplomatic relations between the states have been active since April 1992, and the Slovenian embassy has operated in Tel Aviv since 1994.
