Israel’s foreign minister cuts contact with EU diplomat over apartheid remarks claim

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar vowed to sever all contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after reports she had equated Israel’s treatment of Palestinians with apartheid, a public spat as EU leaders convene in Brussels to discuss Israel. Kallas signaled openness to dialogue and reaffirmed EU support for a two-state solution, but Saar demanded a retraction or denial, underscoring growing EU-Israel tensions as sanctions and policy options on settlements loom in the background.