Israel Severs Ties with EU's Top Diplomat over Apartheid Comparison

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced on Thursday that he is cutting off all contact with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, after she reportedly likened Israel to apartheid-era South Africa during closed-door meetings.

The controversy originates from a report by EURACTIV, which revealed that during a working visit to Mexico City between 20–22 May, Kallas privately drew comparisons between Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and the racial segregation system that existed in South Africa until the early 1990s.