Israel announces it will cut off contacts with the head of EU diplomacy, accusing her of having spoken of “apartheid”

The Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday the severance of contacts with the head of diplomacy of the European Union Kaja Kallas, accusing her of having compared her country to the former racist South African regime.

“Recently it was reported that during her visit to Mexico she compared Israel to the apartheid regime that existed in South Africa,” Gideon Saar wrote on his X account: “however, at this time she has not published any denials, any clarifications or response to this serious declaration.” “Consequently, as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, I have no choice but to cut all contact with Ms. Kallas until she recants,” he added.

Diplomatic relations between Israel and the European Union have deteriorated since the start of the war in Gaza and due to violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

According to the Euractiv media, Ms. Kallas made these statements during a closed-door speech to government officials in Mexico, on the sidelines of a visit to that country last month.

“Accept these words”

Also reacting to X, the European official insisted on the need for dialogue between the EU and Israel, without commenting on the accusations about her alleged remarks. “I value our dialogue and our engagement, and I am ready to continue in this spirit, respectfully and constructively,” she said.

“The EU remains committed to a constructive relationship with Israel. For peace in the Middle East, the two-state solution (Israeli and Palestinian, Editor’s note) is the only viable path,” added Ms. Kallas, recalling that the EU had “condemned the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank which make this perspective increasingly difficult to achieve.”

But Mr. Saar immediately replied that his decision “will remain unchanged” until the diplomat said whether she had uttered the word “apartheid” or not. “The situation is simple: if you really made these vile and defamatory statements, take responsibility for them,” he said. “If you didn’t say them, deny them. As long as light is not shed on this matter, my decision will remain unchanged.”

These exchanges come after Ms. Kallas said this week that she would ask, again, that the European Commission, responsible for trade policy in the EU, make a proposal for possible sanctions against exports from Israeli colonies in the West Bank, supported by several member countries.

She also noted that several EU countries had proposed sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, but that there was no consensus among the bloc’s 27 members, although such a measure must be taken unanimously.

This far-right minister has already been banned from staying in France and Ireland at the end of May, after the broadcast of a video of activists from the “flotilla for Gaza” kneeling with their hands tied, which caused an international outcry.