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Israel slams EU’s Kallas for ‘apartheid’ comment: Are ties unravelling?
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced he would suspend contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after reports that she compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to South African apartheid, a claim Saar called a “blood libel.”
- Kallas did not deny the reports but reiterated the EU’s commitment to dialogue and a two-state solution, while Saar viewed her silence as confirmation of the remarks.
- The diplomatic row highlights deeper EU internal divisions over Israel policy, with some member states like Ireland pushing for sanctions against Israel, while others like Germany and Italy resist stronger collective action.
- The EU has imposed limited sanctions on specific Israeli settler organizations but has not suspended the broader EU-Israel Association Agreement due to lack of unanimous support among member states.
- Analysts suggest the spat may be a strategic move by Israel to exploit internal EU power struggles, particularly between Kallas and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, rather than signaling a major rupture in EU-Israel relations.
