A diplomatic dispute has intensified between the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar after reports emerged that Kallas compared Israel to South Africa during the apartheid era.
The controversy stems from comments allegedly made by Kallas during a visit to Mexico in May, where she met senior government officials as part of efforts to deepen cooperation between the European Union and Latin American countries.
Sa’ar publicly criticized the reported remarks and said he had received no clarification or denial from the EU’s top diplomat. ?To date, no denial, clarification or response has been issued by her regarding this severe statement,? he wrote on social media. He added that, as a result, he had decided to halt communication with Kallas, stating: ?I have no choice but to sever all contact with Ms. Kallas until she retracts the blood libel she directed at the world’s only Jewish state.?
In response, Kallas did not directly address the apartheid allegation. Instead, she emphasized the importance of maintaining communication between the EU and Israel and reaffirmed Brussels? commitment to constructive relations.
?I value dialogue and engagement with Israel,? Kallas said, adding that the European Union remains committed to a ?constructive relationship.?
Her response prompted a further reaction from Sa’ar, who argued that she had avoided addressing the central issue. ?Even in your words here, you are avoiding denying or condemning what is attributed to you and has been published publicly. If you indeed said those shameful and libelous things, stand behind them. If you did not say them, deny it,? he replied.
Kallas also reiterated the EU’s longstanding position that a two-state solution remains the only realistic framework for achieving lasting peace in the Middle East. She noted that the bloc continues to oppose Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, arguing that it complicates prospects for a future agreement.
?The EU has condemned the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank that make it increasingly difficult to get to that goal,? she stated.
The two-state solution envisions the creation of independent Israeli and Palestinian states, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both. The proposal continues to enjoy broad international support. At the United Nations General Assembly last September, 142 countries voted in favor of a resolution backing such an approach, while Israel, the United States, Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Palau, Nauru, and Micronesia voted against it. Twelve countries abstained.
The dispute unfolds against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and approximately 250 were taken hostage during the assault. Israel subsequently launched a large-scale military campaign aimed at destroying Hamas. According to Gaza health authorities, roughly 73,000 people have been killed since the conflict began.
