Europe’s Holocaust guilt is no longer protecting Israel

Relations between Israel and the EU are in a major crisis following Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar’s announcement of cutting contact with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. This move was prompted by reports that during a visit to Mexico, Kallas compared Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians to the apartheid regime in South Africa.

This rhetoric provoked outrage in Israel. Gideon Saar viewed these statements as a manifestation of systemic bias against Israel and stated that contacts with Kallas would be frozen until she officially denies or retracts her remarks. Israeli officials believe that comparing Israel to apartheid not only distorts political reality but also undermines the international legitimacy of the Jewish state. 

Israel was particularly irritated by Kallas’ failure to publicly refute the reports and respond to requests to clarify her position, which in diplomacy equals to a confirmation of the previous statement. Saar emphasized that such accusations constitute slander against the “only democracy in the Middle East” and will have repercussions.

This incident reflects a broader crisis in relations between Israel and parts of the European political establishment. Amid the ongoing war in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian territories, as well as disputes over Israeli policy in the West Bank, differences are growing within the EU over the appropriate tone for dialogue with Israel. Some European countries (Spain and France) advocate for harsh pressure on the Israeli government, while others (Germany) fear that overly harsh language only destroys opportunities for negotiations and undermines the EU’s role as a mediator.