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.
Ukraine's new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara has said Ukraine cannot match Russia 'punch for punch' while outlining new strategies as Ukraine contin...
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia struck Iran-backed groups in Iraq, saying they were responsible for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, as Washington sai...
The Trump administration has unveiled bans targeting imports of new Chinese humanoid and quadruped robots as well as connected power inverters, saying...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
The Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly reshaping the Caspian region. From threats to energy infrastructure to renewed diplomatic efforts, countries across the region are adapting to the wider consequences of a conflict that continues to disrupt trade, transport and security.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
Moscow should stop linking Russia-Armenia relations to Azerbaijan, Baku's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada has said, after Russia again raised the Collective Security Treaty Organisation's role during the former Garabagh conflict.
The 27 July edition of Daybreak covers a pause in fighting between the U.S. and Iran, the latest developments in Russia's war against Ukraine, and mass evacuations as wildfires continue to spread across France and Spain.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 29th of July, covering the latest developments.
Elon Musk's X accused Australia of trying to give its internet regulator unfair information-gathering powers and undermining U.S. law with plans for tougher enforcement of a teen social media ban.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his separate meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Tuesday were positive. The talks focused on Ukraine’s defence needs, peace efforts with Russia and ongoing Middle East tensions.
Ukraine's new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara has said Ukraine cannot match Russia 'punch for punch' while outlining new strategies as Ukraine continues to target Russia's war machine.
At least 13 people have been killed after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment