Israel Severs Ties With EU Foreign Policy Chief Over Apartheid Comparison

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has severed all contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas following reports she compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa during a May visit to Mexico. Kallas has not directly denied the remarks, instead calling for dialogue; Sa'ar demands she retract what he calls "blood libel" before diplomatic relations resume.

Quick Facts

Who

Gideon Sa'ar

What

Israeli FM cuts off all contact with EU foreign policy chief

When

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Where

Israel

Israeli FM cuts off all contact with EU foreign policy chief
Kallas reportedly compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa
Sa'ar demands retraction of alleged remarks
Kallas responds by calling for dialogue without directly addressing the comparison
Israel boycotted previous EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on Thursday that he is cutting off all contact with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, accusing her of comparing Israel to apartheid-era South Africa. Sa'ar stated that Kallas made the remarks during a visit to Mexico in May, and has since refused to deny, clarify, or address them publicly. He characterized the alleged comments as "blood libel" directed at "the only Jewish state, which is also the only democracy in the Middle East."

Sa'ar said he had no choice but to sever ties given Kallas' silence on the matter. "However, so far Kallas has refrained from any denial, response or reference on her part regarding the remarks," he said. The Israeli foreign minister declared that contact would remain severed "until she retracts the blood libel." Sa'ar also noted that Kallas has been acting with "obsessive" and "disgraceful unfairness" toward Israel over the past year, representing a shift from her initially balanced stance when she assumed office.

In response, Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, posted on social media that she valued "dialogue and engagement" with Israel and that the EU remained committed to a "constructive relationship." However, she made no direct mention of the reported apartheid comparison. Instead, she reiterated the EU's position that a two-state solution remains the "only viable path" to peace in the Middle East and noted that the EU has condemned illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Sa'ar quickly challenged Kallas' response, posting: "Even in your words here, you are avoiding denying or condemning what is attributed to you and has been published publicly. If you indeed said those shameful and libelous things—stand behind them. If you did not say them—deny it." The diplomatic clash marks another low point in Israel's relations with EU foreign policy leadership, following similar tensions with Kallas' predecessor Josep Borrell, whom Israel boycotted over his positions on the Gaza conflict.

Topics

Politics World

#diplomatic crisis #Gideon Sa'ar #Israel-EU relations #two-state solution #Kaja Kallas #apartheid comparison #Middle East

Why This Matters

This diplomatic rupture signals deteriorating EU–Israel relations at the institutional level, with potential consequences for bilateral engagement on security, trade, and Middle East policy. The refusal to clarify or retract sensitive statements risks entrenching positions on both sides and could influence how EU member states approach Israel-related votes in multilateral forums. For observers of Middle East geopolitics, this clash illustrates the fraught nature of international discourse around Israel's policies and the cost of rhetorical escalation in diplomatic channels.

Quick Facts

Topics

Why This Matters

Entities

Sources