Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar blasts European Union’s Kaja Kallas over alleged comments comparing Israel to apartheid-era South Africa, boycotting her until she issues a retraction.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Thursday he was severing all contact with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas until she retracts an alleged comparison between Israel and apartheid-era South Africa.

Sa’ar made the announcement in a post on X, accusing Kallas of acting unfairly toward Israel and saying she had not denied, clarified or responded to reports that she made the comparison during a recent visit to Mexico.

“Ms. Kaja Kallas, the EU High Rep. for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has for some time now been acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel,” Sa’ar wrote.

“Recently, it was published that during her visit to Mexico, she compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime that existed in South Africa. I am grateful to the many European elected representatives who condemned this grave statement.”

“However, to date, no denial, clarification or response has been issued by her regarding this severe statement.”

“Therefore, as the Foreign Minister of the State of Israel, 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, which is also the only democracy in the Middle East.”

“And this is what I am doing.”

The dispute began after Euractiv reported that Kallas compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to South Africa’s apartheid era during closed-door meetings with Mexican officials.

The report cited officials and diplomats familiar with the meetings.

One EU diplomat quoted by Euractiv said the comparison was not EU policy.

“The comparison with apartheid is unacceptable and not EU policy. It is a big problem if she is making these kinds of statements while officially representing the EU on the world stage,” the diplomat said.

Hours after Sa’ar’s post, Kallas responded on X, stating that the EU is “always committed” to maintaining a “constructive relationship with Israel,” while adding that the EU believes the “only viable path” to peace in the Middle East is a two-state solution.

“The EU has condemned the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank that make it increasingly difficult to get to that goal. That is the EU position,” Kallas wrote.

Sa’ar fired back that Kallas had not responded to reports she accused Israel of apartheid and that his decision to cut ties with her office remained in force.

“With all due respect, even in your remarks here you refrain from denying or condemning what has been attributed to you and published publicly. That speaks for itself.”

“To the best of my knowledge, the statements attributed to you regarding ‘apartheid’ do not reflect the position of the European Union. The matter is simple: If you did indeed make these vile and defamatory statements, stand behind them.”

“If you did not make them, deny it. Until this matter is cleared up, my decision will remain unchanged.”

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European Union foreign affairs chief under fire after reportedly comparing Israel to apartheid-ridden South Africa.

By World Israel News Staff

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas privately compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid-era South Africa during high-level talks in Mexico, according to a report that has drawn criticism from Jewish communal leaders and renewed attention to divisions inside the EU over Israel policy.

Euractiv reported that Kallas made the comparison in closed meetings with senior Mexican officials.

The remarks were not part of an official public EU statement, and the EU has not adopted an official policy describing Israel as an apartheid state.

One EU diplomat quoted by European Jewish Press said the comparison went beyond the bloc’s agreed line.

“The EU is critical of Israel and supports a two-state solution. The comparison with apartheid is unacceptable and not EU policy. It is a big problem if she is making these kinds of statements while officially representing the EU on the world stage,” the diplomat said.

The report prompted a sharp response from Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association, who said the remarks attributed to Kallas were “fueling the antisemitism fire in Europe.”

“We had hoped that such blatantly false language was in the past, buried deep along with the dubious legacy of Josep Borrell,” Margolin said. “It is a pity that after such a promising start, the High Representative is reverting to her predecessor’s type.”

“Apartheid, just like genocide, is a very important word,” he added. “It carries weight and is pregnant with emotional and historical meaning. To use it in such a context diminishes it.”

The controversy comes as EU governments remain split over calls to pressure Israel over the war with Hamas, the war in Lebanon, and Israeli policies in Judea and Samaria.

Some member states have pushed for sanctions or a partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, while others have opposed steps that would downgrade ties with Israel.

In April, EU foreign ministers rejected calls by Spain, Ireland and Slovenia to suspend preferential trade arrangements with Israel, although discussion of measures related to settlement goods continued.

The EU’s diplomatic service previously accused Israel of breaching human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

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European Union’s chief diplomat cites Hamas accusations of IDF soldiers killing Gazans waiting for humanitarian aid, hints at sanctions to punish Israel over flow of relief.

By World Israel News Staff

The European Union on Tuesday hinted it would sanction Israel over the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, despite Israeli rebuttals of Hamas claims the IDF has targeted civilians at aid distribution sites.

On Tuesday, European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas took to X to warn that the EU would consider “all options” against Israel should it fail to uphold an understanding reached between the two countries earlier this month.

“The killing of civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible,” Kallas tweeted.

“I spoke again with Gideon Sa’ar to recall our understanding on aid flow and made clear that IDF must stop killing people at distribution points. All options remain on the table if Israel doesn’t deliver on its pledges.”

Kallas spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar during a summit in Brussels last week, during which Sa’ar lobbied the EU not to back efforts by some member states to sanction Israel and to downgrade ties with the Jewish state.

During his meeting with Kallas, Sa’ar defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, pushing back on accusations that the IDF has targeted civilians waiting outside aid sites, and claims that Israel has limited the flow of humanitarian aid.

The two agreed that Israel is committed to facilitating safe access to humanitarian aid for Gaza civilians and to allowing large-scale crossings into Gaza of EU-funded aid convoys with minimal interference.

Criticism of Israel’s relief policy has focused heavily on the use of an alternative mechanism for aid distribution, relying on the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Fund to hand out goods to civilians at four depots operated inside the Israeli security perimeter.

Israel has said the system prevents Hamas from seizing the aid, thus weakening the terror group.

But Hamas’ health ministry has claimed dozens of Gazans have starved to death in the past few weeks, and hundreds more have been killed by IDF gunfire outside of aid depots.

Israel has rejected both claims, noting that there is no famine inside the Gaza Strip, while the IDF has found no evidence of soldiers carrying out the mass shootings alleged by Hamas.

In contrast, the GHF has accused Hamas of instigating violence and deadly stampede’s outside the group’s aid sites.

Kallas and Sa’ar spoke by phone Tuesday, during which Kallas related her concerns over reports of violence at GHF depots, calling on Israel to ensure it is in compliance with the understandings reached in Brussels.

After their call, Sa’ar responded to Kallas’ tweet Tuesday, pushing back on Hamas-backed accusations of mass shootings at aid sites.

“Spoke with EU High Rep. for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas about the situation in Gaza. I told her that Hamas is waging a campaign of lies, while deliberately creating friction between the civilian population, the aid distribution centers and the IDF.”

“Hamas is the one shooting civilians and torturing them when they try to collect the aid. While Israel said Yes to hostage deal and ceasefire – Hamas is dragging its feet and sabotaging the negotiations, while continuing cruelly to hold our hostages. The international community must not fall into Hamas’s trap!”

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European Union foreign affairs chief slams Israel’s decision to renew war on Hamas, calling the move “unacceptable.”

By World Israel News Staff

The European Union condemned Israel’s air campaign against Hamas this week, calling the resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip “unacceptable.”

On Wednesday, the EU’s new foreign policy chief, former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, spoke with reporters regarding Israel’s new military campaign in the Gaza Strip and her conversation with Israel’s foreign minister on Tuesday.

“Yesterday, I also talked to Foreign Minister Sa’ar,” Kallas said, telling reporters that she asked him, “what is happening? Why are you doing this. And I mean, also conveying the message that this is unacceptable.”

In her talk with Sa’ar, citing figures provided by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry that over 400 people died in Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday, Kallas lamented the “loss of civilian lives.”

Kallas called for international pressure on Israel to end its military operations in the Gaza Strip, adding that she plans to travel to Egypt next Sunday for talks with leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar (New Hope) rejected Kallas’ criticisms, saying Israel had “no alternative” to military action against Hamas.

“[I] updated E.U. High Rep. for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas on Israel’s operation against Hamas in Gaza,” Sa’ar announced Tuesday afternoon.

“Israel agreed to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposals to extend the temporary ceasefire, which Hamas twice rejected. Without the release of our hostages, Israel has no alternative but resuming military operations,” he said.

“Israel is only targeting terror targets and is doing its utmost to minimize civilian casualties. We will not compromise on our war objectives!”

Taking to X/Twitter on Tuesday, Kallas demanded that Israel not only terminate its military operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but also supply electricity to Gaza and resume the flow of aid.

“The EU deplores the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza and the deaths of civilians, including children, in Israeli airstrikes. Israel must end its military operations and resume entry of humanitarian aid and electricity to Gaza,” she declared.

“Hamas must release all hostages immediately. Palestinians and Israelis have suffered immensely over the past year and a half,” she added. “The resumption of negotiations and progress towards the second phase is the only way forward.”

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