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Israeli foreign minister to ‘sever all contact’ with top EU diplomat
politico.eu • • general
Key Points:
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced he would cut all contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas following her reported comparison of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid-era South Africa, which he called a "blood libel."
- Sa’ar demanded Kallas retract the remarks, while Kallas attempted to ease tensions by emphasizing the importance of dialogue and reiterating EU support for a two-state solution and condemnation of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
- Sa’ar rejected Kallas’s conciliatory message, insisting she either confirm or deny the contentious statements attributed to her, further escalating the public dispute.
- The spat occurs amid a European Council summit in Brussels, where debates over Israel are intensifying, with some EU capitals pushing for sanctions against Israeli officials and trade restrictions related to West Bank settlements, though such measures face opposition from countries like Czechia.
