By: Gašper Blažič
Since the visit of Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon to Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, and her almost furious opposition to the “Trump Doctrine” for Gaza, a few days have passed. However, it seems that neither the White House nor the State Department is particularly disturbed by her statements. On the contrary, one could say that her remarks are met with laughter rather than concern.
It is clear that practically no one takes Donald Trump’s statements about Gaza literally, especially after the Canadians and Danes misjudged their reaction to his comments on Greenland. They failed to grasp the essence of his communication style. Meanwhile, Tanja Fajon continues to respond impulsively, a reaction seemingly influenced by her limited understanding of who the Palestinians and “Palestinians” actually are.
Fajon, SD, and Levica advocate for a “two-state solution”
“No one in this part of the world imagined the first meeting with Netanyahu with much optimism […], but the fact that these statements reflect such a serious ignorance of the history of the Palestinian people and regional geopolitical realities was practically unimaginable,” said Fajon in an interview on Ob osmih on Radio Slovenia on February 5th, while visiting Lebanon. She is convinced that the forced displacement of Palestinians is an unacceptable move that violates international law and would only escalate tensions in the Middle East. She reiterated that borders should not be changed by force and advocated for a two-state solution. Additionally, she condemned the rise in violence in the occupied West Bank.
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs later responded to Trump’s statements, declaring that proposals for the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza and the U.S. president’s plans for redeveloping the enclave are unacceptable and constitute a clear violation of international law. “History clearly shows that such policies only deepen cycles of suffering, instability, and injustice,” they emphasised. According to the ministry, Slovenia supports the Palestinians’ right to remain in their homes and on their land while making independent decisions about their future.
The ministry also reiterated its support for a two-state solution and firmly rejected “any attempts to violently expand illegal settlements and any talk of annexing the West Bank”. They added, “The claim that Jordan or Egypt should take over Gaza’s population ignores both the sovereign rights of these countries and fundamental refugee protection principles.”
The Social Democrats (SD) also deemed Trump’s remarks unacceptable. “Trump’s indifference and disregard for international law are destabilising the entire Middle East region,” they stated, adding that the U.S. president’s talk of “grand visions of Gaza as the Riviera of the Middle East” is like rubbing salt into the wounds of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. “Instead of inappropriate, extremely humiliating, and inconsiderate statements towards Palestinians, what is needed is to ensure that the Palestinian people receive everything necessary to alleviate their suffering and secure stable access to humanitarian aid. This is one of the key elements of any ceasefire agreement that must be pursued,” they added.
The Levica party, which openly supports Hamas, also strongly condemned Trump’s plan for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and expel the Palestinians, calling it completely unacceptable. “The expulsion of Palestinians is nothing short of a threat of ethnic cleansing, one of the gravest human rights violations and a crime against humanity that will trigger another cycle of violence,” they stated. The party reaffirmed its support for a two-state solution and emphasised that no one has the right to expel Palestinians from their land. They also argued that the international community should not support Trump’s plan. In light of this, they called on the global community to firmly reject such statements and actions while actively supporting efforts for justice and peace. Meanwhile, the head of Levica’s parliamentary group, Matej Tašner Vatovec, urged the opposition to clearly distance itself from Trump’s rhetoric.
False perceptions of Israel
It seems that neither Tanja Fajon nor her leftist comrades know what they are talking about, as their understanding of the region’s history is quite poor. In 1947, the UN resolution designated the future state of Israel as a country for two nations – Jews and Arabs. The state of Israel was to include the remaining part of the former British Mandate of Palestine between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Upon its establishment, neighbouring countries immediately launched military attacks. The so-called West Bank was an area occupied by Jordan (which itself was created in 1946 as part of the former British Palestine), while Egypt took control of Gaza. In 1967, Israel reclaimed these territories, but Arab countries claimed that it had “occupied” them. Later, Jordan and Egypt renounced their claims to these lands, which Palestinian liberation organisations – who never accepted the UN resolution or the state of Israel – Interpreted as Jordan having “gifted” the land to them, the Palestinians. In 1988, Yasser Arafat and his allies declared a new state of Palestine – not on its own territory, but in Algiers. The core idea of Palestinian guerilla groups is that Israel should not exist, and that all Israeli territory belongs to Palestine – a claim that is, of course, nonsensical.
In the upcoming week, Demokracija will publish a highly interesting interview with Father Peter Lavrih, the Slovenian commissioner for the Holy Land, who has an in-depth understanding of the situation on the ground. Among other things, he points out that there are Israeli citizens of Arab descent who have successfully integrated into Israeli society. In Galilee, some local Arabs do not even wish to identify as “Palestinians.” Such information directly contradicts the rhetoric of Tanja Fajon and leftists, who often paint a bleak picture of Israel as a modern apartheid state where Palestinians are second-class citizens facing ethnic cleansing. Technically speaking, all Israelis (citizens of Israel) could be considered Palestinians in a regional sense. It is also worth noting that the West, including the EU and Slovenia, has allocated millions of euros in aid to Gaza – money that was not used for the civilian population but instead went toward Hamas’ military infrastructure, particularly underground tunnels and weapons procurement.
One thing is certain: Palestinians (or Arabs) who oppose the state of Israel will not be able to remain there permanently. The so-called “two-state solution” sounds appealing at first glance but is unrealistic. The so-called state of Palestine lacks a unified government and contiguous territory, making Slovenia’s recognition of Palestine a significant mistake.
What about Bosnia and Belgium?
It would also be interesting to see how the Belgians would react if Fajon proposed a “two-state solution” for them. Belgium consists of two primary ethnic groups – the Dutch-speaking Flemish and the French-speaking Walloons. Brussels, a majority French-speaking city, is located within the Flemish region and has a special status. The relationship between these two communities has not always been smooth, and if Tanja Fajon – who, incidentally, was a longtime RTV Slovenia correspondent in Brussels and experienced Belgium’s ethnic crisis in 2007–2008 – suggested a two-state solution there, she would likely be shown the door immediately. A partial version of the “two-state solution” exists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the country is divided into the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska. However, even there, the situation is far from idyllic…
