Israel severs ties with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas over apartheid comparison

Jun 18, 2026

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar is severing all contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas over reports she compared Israel's treatment of Palestinians to apartheid. Sa'ar demands a retraction of the alleged remarks, which Kallas has not directly addressed, instead calling for dialogue. The dispute highlights ongoing EU criticism of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Israel-EU diplomatic severance

▪Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on June 18, 2026, that he was severing "all contact" with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
▪Gideon Sa'ar accused Kaja Kallas of "acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel."

Kallas apartheid comparison remarks

▪In January, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights office concluded that Israel was violating international law prohibiting racial segregation and apartheid.
▪Kaja Kallas allegedly made the remarks during a visit to Mexico in May, according to a June 12 report by Euractiv citing unnamed officials.
▪The diplomatic dispute was prompted by reports that Kaja Kallas compared Israel's treatment of Palestinians to South Africa's former apartheid system.

Sa'ar demands retraction

▪Gideon Sa'ar stated the severance of contact would last until Kaja Kallas retracts the comments, which he described as a "blood libel."
▪After Kaja Kallas's public response, Gideon Sa'ar noted she avoided denying the attributed comments and reaffirmed his decision to cut ties.

EU commitment to Israel

▪Kaja Kallas reiterated the EU's support for a two-state solution and its condemnation of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
▪In May, the EU sanctioned three individuals and four entities for "serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank."
▪In a public response on X, Kaja Kallas emphasized dialogue and a constructive relationship but did not directly address the apartheid comparison.