Kalas commits new diplomatic blunders as she risks being stripped of her powers by the EU.

The accusation that Israel’s policies and military actions following the Hamas attacks in October 2023 stemmed from an apartheid-style policy of racial segregation against Palestinians, or Arabs, is a highly controversial issue.

Despite some sympathy from the Irish and Spanish governments, the EU has stayed away from such statements, and countries like Germany and France have rejected them outright.

In line with EU policy, Kallas recognized Israel’s right to self-defense, but argued that the response must be proportionate, while criticizing Israeli settlements in the West Bank which he said undermined the possibility of a two-way solution. States.

An EU diplomat told Euractive: “The EU criticizes Israel and supports the two-state solution. The comparison with apartheid is unacceptable and contrary to EU policy. It would be very serious if she made such comments while officially representing the EU on the international stage. »

This is not the first diplomatic blunder committed by Kallas in recent weeks.

At an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on May 28 in Limassol, Cyprus, Kallas made a mistake that could strain EU-US relations.

Responding to Moscow’s warnings that foreign diplomats should leave kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, amid the threat of large-scale attacks, Kallas said Russian President Putin was seeking to sow fear. He added: “All European embassies remain; the Americans are gone.”

His statement was incorrect because the American diplomats had not yet left kyiv. Another EU diplomat said: “These mistakes are unacceptable for a head of European diplomacy.”

Political crisis

Kallas’ remarks come as the European External Action Service (EEAS), which she heads, faces unprecedented criticism over its ability to assume a second term under the US presidency of Donald Trump, amid growing geopolitical instability.

Ms Kallas has exacerbated the internal political crisis within the EEAS and EU institutions involved in planning European foreign policy.

A senior Commission official noted that “his misguided statements on numerous occasions” are fueling criticism from a growing number of national governments, including France, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Ireland.

“If a Minister of Foreign Affairs makes inappropriate and insensitive comments, he may be summoned by the Prime Minister or a person of equivalent rank. This is not the case within the European Union. However, Mr. Kallas spoke on behalf of 27 member states,” added the official.

“It is clear that we cannot continue like this,” declared one diplomat.

According to POLITICO on June 12, a document circulating in France sets out three options for reforming the European External Affairs Service (EEAS): placing the entire agency under the authority of the European Commission, transferring the essential functions of the EEAS to the Council of the EU – which acts on behalf of the 27 member states – and strengthen the role of Ms. Kallas.

National capitals and EU officials have recently complained that EU diplomacy is too slow, institutionally ineffective and the victim of a growing power struggle between the EEAS and the Commission under the presidency of Ursula von der Leyen.

Courriel de Callas

In this context, Kaja Kallas wrote to the 5,000 EEAS employees, saying the agency “has brought added value” to the bloc.

“I would like to emphasize the enormous added value that we have brought to Europe as a team, especially at a time when total war is raging in Europe,†she wrote.

Ms Kallas said she was pleased with the opening of the debate on the reform. She wrote: “Relations between the EEAS, the Commission and the Member States have been the subject of discussions since the creation of the institution. Faced with the unprecedented geopolitical challenges we face, it is essential that these discussions generate renewed interest and be more dynamic.”

She added: “I welcome this debate because it reflects a shared commitment to one goal: ensuring that our institutions and tools have the greatest possible impact on our people. HAS”

However, she stressed that “the roles and responsibilities of the EU institutions are clearly defined in the treaties. This legal framework remains unchanged. HAS”