An Israir flight bound for Ljubljana was unable to reach its scheduled destination on Wednesday after Slovenian authorities declined to issue the landing authorization required for the aircraft, forcing the plane to divert and land in neighboring Croatia instead.

The flight, which had been scheduled to arrive in Slovenia’s capital city, was redirected to Zagreb after clearance to land in Ljubljana was denied by local officials.

Reports indicate that Slovenian authorities have recently adopted a policy of refusing landing permits to Israeli carriers, reportedly as a protest against the actions and policies of the Israeli government.

Israeli officials view the move as a breach of international aviation arrangements governing air travel among European Union nations. The incident prompted immediate involvement from both Israel’s Foreign Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority, which began working to address the situation.

Efforts by diplomatic representatives and aviation officials to obtain last-minute approval for the aircraft to proceed to Ljubljana continued throughout the day but had not produced results by Wednesday evening.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev condemned the decision, accusing Slovenia of politicizing civilian air travel and unfairly targeting Israeli passengers.

“This is an unacceptable political decision that directly harms Israeli citizens,” Regev said. “Those who seek to boycott Israel through aviation should understand that there will be consequences. Israel will not stand idly by and will use every tool at its disposal to protect its airlines and the freedom of movement of its citizens.”

The dispute comes as Slovenia undergoes a change in political leadership. The outgoing administration has been among the most outspoken critics of Israel within Europe, and the landing ban was imposed during the transition period between governments.

Israeli officials are hopeful that relations may improve soon, as the incoming government, which is expected to assume office in the coming weeks, is generally regarded as more favorable toward Israel than the current administration.

{Matzav.com}