From the Liveblog of
Sunday, July 5, 2026
Israel appoints first-ever resident ambassador to Slovenia amid warming ties
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleIsrael says it has named its first-ever resident ambassador to Slovenia, signaling a diplomatic reset after Ljubljana’s change of government.
Ties between Israel and Slovenia had soured under the previous center-left government of prime minister Robert Golob, but have warmed significantly since conservative Prime Minister Janez Jansa took office.
The Foreign Ministry announces that Ruth Cohen‑Dar — until now non-resident ambassador to Slovenia and Malta — will become the country’s first permanent envoy in Ljubljana.
The move follows Israel’s decision last month to open an embassy in Slovenia.
“The decision to establish the embassy was made after many years of a downturn in relations between Israel and Slovenia, and following the formation of a new government in Slovenia headed by Janez Jansa, a friend of Israel,” the ministry says.
Slovenia’s new conservative-led government lifted an arms embargo on Israel, scrapped entry bans on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two of his ministers, and reversed a ban on imports from settlements in the West Bank. Jansa’s government has also removed a Palestinian flag symbolically displayed on the government building since Slovenia recognized Palestinian statehood in 2024.
The Times of Israel Community.