Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said he is severing “all contact” with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following remarks attributed to her that reportedly compared Israel’s policies toward Palestinians to apartheid-era South Africa.
The diplomatic fallout highlights growing tensions between Israel and the EU amid ongoing disagreements over the war in Gaza and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
Saar said Kallas had “compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime” during a visit to Mexico last month, according to reports he cited from European media outlets. He demanded a retraction of the comments, saying contact would remain frozen until she withdrew them.
The remarks in question were reported by Euractiv and cited unnamed officials as saying Kallas had drawn parallels between Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and South Africa’s former system of apartheid, which enforced racial segregation.
Kaja Kallas did not directly address the specific allegation but responded by stressing the importance of maintaining diplomatic engagement.
She said she valued EU–Israel relations and remained open to continued “respectful and constructive” dialogue, adding that diplomacy is essential even amid disagreements.
Kallas also reiterated the EU position that a two-state solution remains the only viable path to lasting peace in the Middle East.
The dispute comes against a backdrop of long-standing European criticism of Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, which the EU considers illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace efforts.
In May, the EU imposed sanctions on individuals and entities it said were involved in serious human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel rejected the measures at the time.
While the EU has also affirmed Israel’s right to self-defence during the Gaza conflict, member states remain divided, with some strongly critical of Israeli military actions and others maintaining closer political and security ties.
Saar accused Kallas of “acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel,” signalling further deterioration in relations between Israeli officials and parts of the EU foreign policy apparatus.
The episode underscores the fragility of EU unity on Middle East policy and the widening diplomatic gap between Israel and European institutions over the conduct of the war, settlement activity, and the future framework for peace.
Uzbekistan is preparing for one of its hottest weeks of the year, with electricity demand expected to approach a record as temperatures are forecast t...
Iran has said it remains determined to pursue legal action against Israel and the United States over the deaths of senior officials and civilians duri...
Britain has moved to target Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and another Iran-linked organisation using new state-threat powers followi...
Iran has said it remains determined to pursue legal action against Israel and the United States over the deaths of senior officials and civilians during recent military confrontations, insisting it will seek accountability through international bodies.
Britain has moved to target Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and another Iran-linked organisation using new state-threat powers following a series of antisemitic incidents across the country.
Pakistan on Sunday expressed "deep concern" over the latest escalation in the Middle East following renewed military exchanges between the U.S. and Iran. It urged all sides to exercise restraint and honour commitments made under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The UK has announced a fresh round of sanctions against individuals and organisations it says are responsible for cyber attacks and hybrid operations linked to Russian intelligence, in a move aimed at countering efforts to destabilise Europe.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
The U.S. has launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran targeted a container ship and said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also claimed to have expanded attacks on U.S. military facilities across the Gulf.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
President Ilham Aliyev is holding his annual question-and-answer session with international journalists at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum in Azerbaijan.
Qatar is mourning the death of its former ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who has passed away at the age of 74.
Britain has moved to target Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and another Iran-linked organisation using new state-threat powers following a series of antisemitic incidents across the country.
The UK has announced a fresh round of sanctions against individuals and organisations it says are responsible for cyber attacks and hybrid operations linked to Russian intelligence, in a move aimed at countering efforts to destabilise Europe.
A 93-year-old British woman has died after being injured in wildfires that swept through southeastern Spain's Almeria province, regional authorities said, bringing the confirmed death toll to 13 people.
More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across 27 European countries during a record-breaking heatwave in late June, with older people accounting for the vast majority of the toll, according to official mortality data.
An overnight fire at a popular bar in Bangkok has killed at least 27 people and injured 63 others, making it one of the deadliest pub disasters in the Thai capital in recent years. Authorities say the venue quickly filled with thick smoke, trapping patrons inside.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment