Slovenia Prepares to Recognize Palestine as a State

On Thursday, the government of Slovenia began the procedure of recognizing the State of Palestine to help end the violence in Gaza.

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"Atrocities that we see in Gaza every day are inadmissible and have to stop," Prime Minister Robert Golob told a news conference following a government session.

Slovenia's government coalition, which is composed of three center-left parties, is united on the plan to recognize the State of Palestine, he said, adding that he hopes other countries will follow Slovenia.

The Slovenian government will send a formal request to the parliament to recognize the State of Palestine by June 13.

"I am pleased that the government has taken a decisive and irreversible step in the process of recognizing Palestine. Slovenia thus sends a clear message on the urgency of Middle East peace and a two-state solution," Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said.

Over 100 students from Ljubljana University's Faculty of Social Sciences protested on the premises for the second day in a row on Thursday, calling on the university to issue a clear condemnation of the genocide in Gaza and end any cooperation with Israel's Bar Ilan University.

Slovenia, an incumbent non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, issued a joint statement with Spain, Malta and Ireland in late March saying that the countries stand ready to recognize the State of Palestine when "the circumstances are right".