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Israel says cutting ties with top EU diplomat over ‘apartheid’ comments
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has suspended contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after reports that she compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to South Africa’s apartheid system.
- Saar accused Kallas of bias against Israel and demanded a retraction of what he called a “blood libel,” while Kallas affirmed the EU’s commitment to dialogue and a two-state solution without directly addressing the apartheid allegation.
- The dispute arises amid increased international criticism of Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank, with the UN and International Court of Justice recently condemning Israel for violations related to racial segregation and apartheid.
- Kallas emphasized the importance of diplomacy and the EU’s opposition to illegal Israeli settlements, but Saar maintained his position on severing ties due to her failure to deny or condemn the apartheid comparison.
