jasdooit

Saar alleged that Kallas was acting in an obsessive manner and showed clear bias by reportedly likening Israel to South Africa’s apartheid system.

IsraelThe foreign minister stated on Thursday that he was cutting off all communication with theEuropean UnionThe top diplomat of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, reportedly made statements where she allegedly likened Israel to the apartheid regime that previously governed South Africa.

Relations between Israel and the EU have faced significant tension since theGaza warexploded in October 2023, along with widespread violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

On Thursday, Gideon Saaraccused the EU’s foreign policy head Kallas of “behaving obsessively and showing clear bias” against Israel.

Are you curious about the major issues and developments happening globally? Find the solutions withSCMP Knowledge, our latest platform offering carefully selected content including explainers, FAQs, analyses, and infographics, presented by our acclaimed team.

“Recently, it was reported that during her trip to Mexico, she drew a comparison between Israel and the racist apartheid system that once operated in South Africa,” Saar posted on social media.

Nevertheless, up to now, she has not provided any denial, explanation, or reply concerning this serious remark.

Consequently, as the foreign minister of the State of Israel, I am compelled to cut off all communication with Ms Kallas until she withdraws the false accusation she made against the world’s sole Jewish state, which is also the only democracy in the Middle East.

As reported by the European news platform Euractiv, Kallas expressed these comments during a private meeting with government representatives while visiting Mexico last month.

Kallas addressed Saar’s statements on Thursday, highlighting the importance of ongoing discussions between the EU and Israel, yet refused to comment on the claimed “apartheid” comments.

“I appreciate our conversation and interaction, and I am willing to keep it going with the same approach, in a respectful and productive manner,” Kallas posted on social media.

The European Union consistently strives to maintain a positive relationship with Israel. Achieving peace in the Middle East requires the Two-State Solution as the sole feasible approach.

The EU has criticized the unlawful Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are making it more challenging to achieve that objective. This reflects the EU’s stance.

Earlier in the week, Kallas mentioned that the EU would consider ways to limit trade with Israeli settlements in response to demands from multiple member nations.

Kallas also mentioned that several EU nations had suggested penalties against the Israeli Minister of National SecurityItamar Ben-Gvir, although no agreement has been reached yet.

All 27 EU member states must approve any sanctions, and strong advocates of Israel have rejected these actions.

Demands to ban Ben-Gvir increased following his release last month of a video in which he ridiculed detained activists, some from European Union countries, who were captured by Israeli forces on a humanitarian convoy heading to Gaza.

Increased violence from Israeli settlers in the West Bank has been observed since the beginning of the Gaza conflict. Human rights organizations note frequent assaults on Palestinians and their belongings on a daily basis.

Israel has controlled the West Bank since 1967, with settlement growth remaining a consistent approach across various Israeli administrations.

But it has sped up greatly under the present coalition government headed by the Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu.

Apart from East Jerusalem, over 500,000 Israelis currently reside in West Bank settlements that are considered unlawful under international law, alongside approximately three million Palestinians.

More Articles from SCMP

Hong Kong plans to launch its highly anticipated offshore yuan bond futures in August.

93% of the top talent from mainland China relocate to Hong Kong for their children’s education

A survey indicates that more people in Taiwan support friendly relations with Beijing rather than military alliances with the United States.

Hong Kong will employ 21 indicators to determine poverty, having removed the income measure

This piece was first published on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top news outlet covering China and Asia.

Copyright (c) 2026. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.