Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Thursday that he is cutting off all contacts with the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. The reason is her alleged statements in which she compared Israel’s actions towards the Palestinians to the former apartheid system in the Republic of South Africa. TASR reports on this according to a report by AFP and a post by Saara on the X network.
- The Israeli minister cut off contacts with Kallas from the EU.
- The reason is her statements about the apartheid regime of Israel.
- Kallasová insists on dialogue and emphasized the need for communication.
- The EU criticizes Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
- Sanctions and restrictions on trade with settlements are being considered.
“It was recently revealed that during her visit to Mexico, she compared Israel to the racist apartheid regime that once existed in South Africa,” Saar wrote. “Therefore, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, I have no choice but to cut off all contacts with Ms. Kallas until she withdraws her false accusation reminiscent of superstitions about ritual murders addressed to the only Jewish state in the world, which is also the only democratic state in the Middle East,” he added.
The head of Israeli diplomacy claims in his post that Kallas has been “obsessively and obviously unfairly acting towards the State of Israel” for some time.
He thanks other representatives
At the same time, Saar expressed his gratitude to the “many” European representatives who condemned the “serious statement” of Kallas. To this day, according to him, the head of the Union’s diplomacy has not denied these words, explained them, or reacted in any way.
Subsequently, Saar posted posts from other accounts on X that mention the June 12 Euractiv report. It cites unnamed officials and diplomats who say that during a visit to Mexico, Kallas compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank to apartheid-era South Africa.
In the meantime, Kallas responded to the Israeli minister’s post when she wrote on the X network that she values dialogue with Israel and mutual communication. According to her, she is ready to continue in this spirit respectfully and constructively. “Dialogue is the basis of diplomacy, especially when differences of opinion arise. The EU is always committed to maintaining constructive relations with Israel,” she said.
He urges a two-state solution
The head of EU diplomacy also added that the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East is a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. “The EU has condemned illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank that are making this goal increasingly difficult to achieve”. According to her, that is the attitude of the Union.
Reuters reminds that the EU criticizes the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. In May, it therefore imposed sanctions on three individuals and four entities responsible for “serious and systematic violations of human rights against Palestinians in the West Bank.” Saar said at the time that Israel strongly rejected the decision.
Kallas said last week that the EU will explore options for restricting trade with Israeli settlements, following calls from several member states. In addition, she noted that several member countries have also proposed sanctions against Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir. Calls for their introduction intensified after Ben Gvir posted a video on social media mocking activists from an aid flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip.
