Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says he is severing “all contact” with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after remarks he attributes to her comparing Israel to apartheid-era South Africa. Multiple outlets report that Sa’ar made the decision following comments said to have been made during Kallas’ trip to Mexico. Sa’ar states he will not resume contact unless Kallas retracts or clarifies the remarks. Several reports describe the comments as having been reported by media but note that Kallas’ office has not issued an immediate response, and she has not publicly denied or clarified the statement, according to at least one account.
Other coverage frames the dispute as part of a broader strain in EU-Israel relations. Euronews reports that Sa’ar calls for dialogue with the EU while rejecting positions he describes as “dictated,” and also describes additional political reactions within EU institutions. Separately, Euronews reports that EU leaders respond to the episode in mixed ways at a Brussels summit, indicating varying views on how the alleged remarks should be handled.
Overall, the sources agree on the central sequence: alleged apartheid-related remarks by Kallas, Sa’ar’s decision to cut contact, and the lack of a prompt public reply from her office.
