A senior EU official tells Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) that EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas has a 'very bad relationship' with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is trying to push her to take action against Israel. An Israeli diplomat confirmed the tension was felt in Jerusalem as well, describing 'gaps and tensions' between the two.
A deepening personal and policy rift between the European Union's two most powerful women — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas — has spilled into the open over their approaches to Israel, according to an EU official briefed on the matter.
Speaking to Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12), the official said Kallas has a 'very bad relationship' with von der Leyen and is actively trying to push the Commission president into taking steps against Israel. An Israeli diplomat confirmed to N12 that the tensions between the two EU leaders were felt in Jerusalem, noting 'gaps and tensions' between them.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Monday (11:07 Jerusalem), a serious rift had emerged between von der Leyen and Kallas over Israel policy, with the same EU official saying Kallas was trying to push von der Leyen 'to act against Israel.' This follow-up report reinforces the personal dimension of the divide, with the official directly describing the two as having very poor relations.
The internal EU friction over Israel comes amid a broader push by some member states to curb Kallas's diplomatic powers, as The Zioneer reported on June 11, citing a Financial Times piece. Kallas has also publicly clashed with Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in recent weeks over her reported 'apartheid' remark about Israel and the EU's opposition to settlements in Judea and Samaria.
2 developments
- DevelopingSa'ar and EU foreign minister spar on X after she declares boycott of Israel
- DevelopingEU nations reportedly weigh curbing top diplomat Kallas' powers in reform push
- DevelopingEU foreign policy chief says no majority for sanctions on Israeli minister Ben Gvir
- DevelopingSenior official stirs storm with harsh remarks against Israel
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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