Israel severs ties with EU foreign chief Kaja Kallas

Israel has severed diplomatic contact with the European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, after she reportedly compared Israel's policies toward Palestinians to South Africa's former apartheid regime. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced the move on Thursday, June 18, 2026, stating he would have no contact with Kallas until she retracts the comments, which he labeled a "blood libel."

Saar said the alleged remarks were made by Kallas during closed-door meetings with Mexican government officials in Mexico City last month. He accused Kallas of "acting obsessively and with blatant unfairness toward the State of Israel" and said her failure to issue a denial or clarification in the days since the reports surfaced left him no choice. An official in Jerusalem clarified that the measures were directed at Kallas personally and that Israel would continue to engage with EU institutions.

Kallas responded on social media, expressing her value for dialogue and the EU's commitment to a constructive relationship with Israel. However, she did not directly address or deny the reported apartheid comparison. She reiterated the EU's official position, stating that a two-state solution remains the...