Israeli FM cuts ties with EU’s Kallas after apartheid comparison dispute

Saar rejected her statement, calling it “shameful and libelous,” and accused Kallas of “acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel.

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar has announced he is severing “all contact” with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, escalating tensions between Tel Aviv and Brussels after remarks attributed to Kallas comparing Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid‑era South Africa.

The dispute played out on X, where Kallas reiterated the EU’s commitment to dialogue with Israel, the two‑state solution, and condemnation of settlement expansion in the West Bank. “I value our dialogue and engagement, and I’m open to continue in that spirit, respectfully and constructively,” she wrote.

Saar rejected her statement, calling it “shameful and libelous,” and accused Kallas of “acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel.” He amplified posts referencing a Euractiv report that claimed Kallas made the apartheid comparison during a visit to Mexico last month.

The EU has long criticized Israeli settlement expansion, which it considers illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace. In May, the bloc sanctioned three individuals and four entities accused of systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank. Saar at the time said Israel “firmly rejected” the decision.

The latest clash underscores divisions within the EU itself, where member states remain split over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank. Some governments maintain close ties with Tel Aviv, while others have been sharply critical. Earlier this year, both the EU and the United Nations issued statements likening Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid policies, further straining relations.

This rupture between Saar and Kallas highlights how the war in Gaza and settlement expansion continue to reverberate diplomatically, complicating Israel’s relations not only with adversaries but also with long‑standing partners in Europe.