Israeli Foreign Minister Suspends Contact with EU’s Kallas Over Alleged Apartheid Comment
"If you did indeed make these vile and defamatory statements, stand behind them. If you did not make them, deny it." — Gideon Sa’ar
JERUSALEM/BRUSSELS — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on June 12, 2025, that he is suspending all contact with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
The decision stems from a media report alleging that Kallas compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to South Africa’s apartheid system.
The Incident
According to a June 12 report from Euractiv, Kallas allegedly made the comparison during a visit to Mexico from May 20-22 in talks with Mexican officials.
The report, citing unnamed officials and diplomats present during the EU delegation visit, did not provide direct quotes or a precise description of the comparison. Kallas’s office has declined to comment on the report.
Official Responses
Gideon Sa’ar stated that Kallas had been "acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel," and that she had not denied or clarified the reported remarks.
He said contact would resume only after Kallas retracts what he called "the blood libel she directed at the world's only Jewish state."
Kaja Kallas responded publicly, stating: "Dear Gideon, as you know, the EU and Israel have a lot that binds us."
She affirmed the EU’s commitment to a constructive relationship with Israel and reiterated support for a two-state solution, noting the EU has condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal. She did not directly address the apartheid comparison.
Sa’ar countered that her reply did not deny or condemn the reported remarks. "Until this matter is cleared up, my decision will remain unchanged," he said.
Context of Strained Relations
The suspension marks another strained moment in EU-Israel relations. Israel also boycotted Kallas’s predecessor, Josep Borrell. EU members hold diverse views on Israeli policy.
Earlier in the week, Kallas stated that the EU would explore options to restrict trade with Israeli settlements and announced sanctions on West Bank settlers. She noted that some member states called for sanctions on Israeli Defense Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, but no consensus has emerged.
Background
The UN Human Rights Office concluded in January 2024 that Israeli authorities’ treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank constitutes racial segregation and apartheid, violating international law.
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion finding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful, citing concerns over racial segregation and apartheid.
The current Gaza conflict began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, which killed around 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign has resulted in approximately 73,000 deaths, according to the Gaza health ministry.
In September 2023, 142 UN member states voted in favor of a two-state solution; Israel and nine others voted against.