Merz rebukes Kallas over Israel ‘apartheid’ comments

Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, has distanced himself from remarks by the EU’s top diplomat comparing the situation in Gaza to apartheid-era South Africa.

“I explicitly do not share this choice of words,” Merz said on the sidelines of the European Council summit in Brussels.

Euractiv first reported that EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas had compared the Israel-Gaza situation to South Africa’s apartheid era during a visit to Mexico last month.

“We will indeed have to discuss this,” Merz said. “This is a matter that still needs to be thoroughly debated in the European Council.” 

EU leaders are expected to discuss the Middle East on Friday, with capitals remaining divided over whether to pursue further sanctions against Israel.

The comments triggered a response from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Thursday, who said he had “no choice but to sever all contact” with the EU’s top diplomat. Sa’ar accused Kallas of acting “obsessively and with blatant unfairness” toward Israel.

Arriving at the summit, Kallas declined to engage directly with the controversy. “I will not go down that road that I will comment on anything what was made and said or not said behind closed doors,” she said. “So let’s stick to those statements that I’m making.”

She added: “I can’t fight the shadows all the time.”

Kallas defended the EU’s record of criticism toward Israeli policies, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories.

“I’ve been representing the European Union, and it’s true that we don’t always see eye to eye with the Israelis,” Kallas said. “For example, regarding the violent settlers and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, we have been very critical.”

(bw)