Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar pressed EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas on Thursday to either stand by or deny the 'apartheid' remark attributed to her, saying the slur is 'despicable and defamatory.' Sa'ar's open response challenges Kallas to clarify herself unequivocally, keeping the diplomatic freeze in place until she does.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar escalated the diplomatic confrontation with EU Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas on Thursday, publishing an open challenge that demands she either "stand by" the 'apartheid' remark attributed to her or "deny it." The challenge sets a public ultimatum after Kallas's earlier reply to Sa'ar — published at 13:23 Jerusalem — avoided a direct apology or denial, instead reiterating the EU's official stance opposing settlements and calling for a two-state solution.
Sa'ar's initial severance of contact with Kallas was reported by The Zioneer at 11:25 Jerusalem on Thursday, following a European report — first covered by The Zioneer on Sat Jun 13 at 21:21 Jerusalem — that Kallas had made the comparison in closed meetings in Mexico. By 13:23 Jerusalem, Kallas's first written response to Sa'ar described dialogue as "the basis of diplomacy," but did not address the specific remark. Sa'ar's latest statement, also timed at 13:23 Jerusalem, formally refuses to resume contact until she explicitly denies or condemns the remark, calling the slur "despicable and defamatory."
As The Zioneer reported on Jun 13, the original report of the 'apartheid' remark emerged from closed EU meetings in Mexico. A separate background item, published by The Zioneer on Fri Jun 12 at 15:26 Jerusalem, noted that a deputy European commissioner had also made an apartheid comparison during that visit, which an EU official reportedly called unacceptable.
It remains unclear whether Kallas will issue a direct denial, reaffirm the statement, or continue to avoid a categorical response. The EU has not officially confirmed the remark. The diplomatic freeze remains in place pending clarity.
5 developments
- DevelopingSa'ar and EU foreign minister spar on X after she declares boycott of Israel
- DevelopingIsrael severs contact with EU foreign minister until she apologizes for 'apartheid' remark
- DevelopingEU Foreign Minister Kallas replies to Sa'ar: 'Dialogue is the basis of diplomacy'
- DevelopingEuropean Jewish leader accuses EU foreign policy chief of inciting antisemitism with 'apartheid' rhetoric
Source and signal
- Internal intake