Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar affirmed that Israel is not planning to expel any Palestinians from the Gaza Strip when asked if Slovenia would support efforts to move Gazans out of the territory, during a joint press conference with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer on Wednesday.
“First of all, we are not planning to expel or to deport anyone from the Gaza Strip,” Sa’ar emphasized, stating that his position is in line with international norms and laws.
He added that Israel would not force anyone to stay in Gaza and would not oppose Palestinians choosing to leave Gaza of their own volition if they are provided with an opportunity to do so.
“If someone wants to immigrate of their own will, and there is a country that is ready to accept them… we will not oppose that,” Sa’ar said.
Sa’ar was also asked for his response to a criminal complaint that was filed against him in Slovenia by the pro-Palestinian Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) on Monday, and accusations that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.
He answered that HRF is “connected directly to terrorist organizations in Gaza” and rejected accusations of genocide. He added that those who participated in Hamas’s October 7 massacre and those who advocated for the destruction of the State of Israel are responsible for genocide.
“The objective is to eliminate the state of Israel,” Sa’ar added. “It is their public commitment to eliminate the Jewish state."
Sa'ar, Kajzer sign Israel-Slovenia cooperation agreement
Sa’ar was present in Slovenia for the opening of the first Israeli embassy in the capital of Ljubljana and to meet with Kajzer.
During the joint press conference, Sa’ar and Kajzer signed a cooperation agreement to expand cooperation in the fields of education, science, business, and tourism.
"After 16 years, we are once again hosting the Israeli Foreign Minister in Slovenia. Today's visit therefore has significant political and symbolic weight,” Kajzer said of Sa’ar’s visit.
“After a long period of less intensive contacts, it is time to shift cooperation between Slovenia and Israel into a higher gear.”
As Israel faces increasing isolation and criticism on the global stage, Kajzer emphasized that Slovenia has chosen dialogue and cooperation with Israel over exclusion, telling reporters his government “believes that the progress of society is based on cooperation and opening up new horizons.”