The cracks in Europe’s moral compass are starting to show.
Slovenia’s foreign minister, Tanja Fajon, has unleashed a scathing rebuke of the European Union, accusing Brussels of double standards and outright hypocrisy. While the EU has eagerly slapped Moscow with 18 rounds of sanctions over the war in Ukraine, it has failed to take a single punitive measure against Israel—even as the death toll in Gaza surpasses 61,000 and famine grips the enclave.
Fajon didn’t mince words. She called Israel’s actions “genocidal” and slammed EU leaders for hiding behind hollow statements while ignoring a humanitarian catastrophe broadcast daily to the world. “And yet we are discussing the 18th package of sanctions against Moscow,” she said, noting the silence in Brussels after the UN formally declared famine in Gaza.
The criticism is striking, not least because it comes from within the bloc itself. Slovenia, a small EU member of just over 2 million people, has emerged as one of the loudest voices challenging Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Ljubljana was the first EU capital to ban all arms trade with Israel, bar key Israeli ministers from entry, and block imports from the occupied Palestinian territories. It has also joined Spain, Norway, Ireland, Canada, and France in pushing for Palestinian statehood recognition.
The EU’s refusal to act has baffled many outside Europe as well. Nations from Russia to parts of the Global South have pointed out the West’s selective outrage—mobilizing the full weight of its financial arsenal against Russia, but tolerating Israel’s military campaign despite mounting evidence of war crimes.
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Fajon warned that Europe’s credibility is on the line: “I hear a lot of criticism from our global partners that don’t understand us—the way we are reacting to these distinct conflicts. I do hope there will be even, growing pressure from our societies on Israel.”
As Gaza burns and Brussels dithers, one thing is clear: the EU’s “rules-based order” seems to apply only when it suits its political interests. And Slovenia, once a quiet player in European politics, may now be forcing the uncomfortable questions everyone else wants to avoid.
