The government's decision to invite Tzipi Livni, a former Israeli foreign minister, to Slovenia's leading foreign policy event, has sparked protest in the country and calls for her to be disinvited.

Livni has been invited to appear as a speaker at one of the panel debates at the Bled Strategic Forum, taking place at the lakeside town on 2 and 3 September.

She is due to speak at a debate dedicated to Gaza on 2 September alongside the foreign ministers of Slovenia, Morocco, Jordan and Hungary.

Small government party threatens boycott

After two pro-Palestinian groups called for Livni to be disinvited due to her role in the destruction of Gaza, the Left, the smallest of the three ruling coalition parties, joined the appeal.

In a statement on 28 August, the Left said that Livni was co-responsible for Israel's Operation Cast Lead, which claimed more than 1,100 Palestinian lives in 2008 and 2009.

Livni served as Israel's foreign minister and vice prime minister from 2006 to 2009 and was a member of the country's war cabinet during the operation.

A British court issued a warrant for Livni's arrest due to her role in these strikes, the Left said.

The warrant was revoked after her visit to the UK was cancelled though and the British government at the time apologised for what it deemed an incident.

The Left also said that last year, following the start of Israel's invasion of Gaza, Livni had said that Israel was not responsible for the deaths of civilians killed in areas where the military had ordered evacuation, which the party believes points to her support for the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Slovenia recognised a Palestinian statehood several months ago, and this diplomatic step must now be followed up by a more determined policy of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, the party said.

It threatened to boycott the Bled Strategic Forum unless Livni is disinvited. The party believes the forum should not feature any representatives of Israel.

Different views at the same table

Responding to the appeal, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said the aim of the Bled Strategic Forum was to see different opinions confronted at the same table.

"It is not an easy decision, but if the Forum as a broad platform wants to bring together different views, different opinions and have a serious discussion, then it probably needs to have more than just like-minded people at the table," the Slovenian foreign minister said.

Slovenia's position on the war in Gaza "remains absolutely unchanged", Fajon said, adding that Slovenia "is extremely active" in all the efforts to end the war in Gaza and she would be saddened if anyone boycotted the meeting.

Earlier, the ministry responded to appeals to disinvite Livni by saying that the BSF was a regional strategic forum bringing together people of different, even opposing, views.

"The aim of the forum is to promote dialogue and understanding between different participants, including in the most challenging and conflict-ridden circumstances," it said.

Meanwhile, several NGOs, led by the Legal Centre for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, called on the state prosecution and police to open criminal proceedings against Livni for war crimes.

Invoking her role in the Israeli military operation in Gaza in 2008-2009, they said "action by the Slovenian law enforcement authorities is essential to prevent impunity for the most serious international crimes that continue to be committed against the Palestinian population".