Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says he is severing all contact with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after remarks he says compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa. Sa’ar says Kallas made the statements during a recent trip to Mexico. According to his social media post, he took the step because Kallas has not denied, clarified, or responded to the remarks, and he called for a retraction before contact resumes. Reuters reports that Sa’ar characterized the alleged comparison as to a “racist apartheid regime.” Both outlets say there is no immediate response from Kallas’ office to address the allegations.
The decision reflects a diplomatic dispute between Israel and the EU over the interpretation and handling of the reported comments. Until Kallas retracts or otherwise addresses the remarks, Sa’ar says the contact is suspended, signaling an escalation in rhetoric and bilateral friction.
