Israel's chancellor breaks with head of European Union diplomacy
Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, said this Thursday (18) that he was breaking "all contact" with the head of European Union diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, due to statements that, according to him, were attributed to her, in which he compares Israel to apartheid-era South Africa, a system of racial segregation imposed by law.
In a social media post, Saar claimed that Kallas had "compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime" during a visit to Mexico last month and that, as a result, he was breaking off ties with her until she recanted.
In other statements on the social network X, the minister shared posts from other accounts that mentioned or made reference to a report this month from the European news site Euractiv.
The report quoted unidentified officials and diplomats as saying that during his visit to Mexico, Kallas compared Israel's treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to South Africa's policies under apartheid.
Kallas responded to the Israeli minister in a publication on X, highlighting the importance of dialogue, but without directly addressing the comments attributed to him.
"Dear Gideon, as you know, the EU and Israel have many ties in common," she said. "I value our dialogue and our engagement, and I am open to continuing in that spirit, in a respectful and constructive way. Dialogue is the basis of diplomacy, especially when disagreements arise. The EU is always committed to a constructive relationship with Israel," Kallas added.
EU criticism of settlement expansion
The European Union has criticized Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, widely considered illegal under international law and an obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In May, the EU sanctioned three individuals and four entities that it said were responsible for "serious and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank." Saar stated at the time that Israel strongly rejected the decision.
The EU also criticized Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, while reaffirming Israel's right to defend itself. But the bloc's 27 members are divided, with some highly critical of Israel and others maintaining close ties.
This Thursday (18), Saar accused Kallas of "acting obsessively and with flagrant injustice towards the State of Israel".
In response, Kallas stated that "to bring peace to the Middle East, the Two-State Solution remains the only viable path."
"The EU has condemned illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which make achieving this objective increasingly difficult. That is the EU's position," she said.
Source: CNN