Israeli airline alleges EU open skies violation after Slovenia denies landing rights

Passengers aboard an Israir flight from Tel Aviv to Ljubljana, Slovenia, were informed during their descent that their aircraft would instead land in Zagreb, Croatia, after Slovenian authorities denied the flight permission to land.

Israir condemned the move, arguing that it violates European aviation agreements and unfairly targets Israeli carriers.

“The Israir flight scheduled for Ljubljana had to land in Zagreb because the authorities in Ljubljana are refusing Israeli carriers to land, due to their firm political opposition to the route operated by the Israeli government. This is a blatant violation of EU air agreements,” said Israir CEO Uri Sirkis.

The incident has drawn attention not only because of the disruption caused to passengers but also because it comes amid growing concerns over increasingly hostile attitudes toward Israel in parts of Europe, as well as rising antisemitism across the continent.

Passengers who expected to arrive in Ljubljana were forced to arrange onward transportation from neighboring Croatia, resulting in delays, additional expenses and significant inconvenience.

The dispute also unfolded during a period of political change in Slovenia. Long regarded as one of the European Union countries most critical of Israel, alongside Spain and Ireland, Slovenia recently held elections that brought a new government to power.

The new prime minister is Janez Janša, leader of the right-wing Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), while Zoran Stevanović is set to become Speaker of the National Assembly. Both men have historically been viewed as more supportive of Israel than the outgoing administration, raising the possibility that bilateral relations could improve in the coming months.

For the passengers affected by the diversion, however, any future improvement in relations offered little immediate comfort as they were left to complete their journey by land after landing in Croatia.

The incident also comes amid broader concerns among Jewish communities across Europe. Data from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has documented increasing reports of physical attacks, verbal harassment and online abuse targeting Jewish citizens in a number of European countries.

Jewish organizations have warned that many Jews now feel increasingly vulnerable in public, prompting some governments to expand security measures around synagogues, schools and community centers.

Despite those efforts, many Jewish citizens report concealing their identity or avoiding public displays of Jewish affiliation out of concern for their safety.

The rise in antisemitic incidents has also contributed to growing interest in Aliyah among some European Jewish communities. According to figures cited by the Jewish Virtual Library, significant numbers of Jews in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have explored or begun the process of immigrating to Israel in recent years.