Jerusalem: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Thursday that he is severing all contact with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Saar accused Kallas of likening Israel to apartheid-era South Africa, a comparison he deemed unacceptable.

According to Anadolu Agency, Saar made his announcement via a post on the US social media platform X, where he accused Kallas of acting 'obsessively and with blatant unfairness' toward Israel. He cited reports that during Kallas's visit to Mexico, she allegedly made the apartheid comparison while discussing Israel's treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Saar emphasized that he would not resume contact with Kallas until she retracted her statement, which he referred to as a "blood libel" against Israel. He noted the absence of any denial, clarification, or response from Kallas concerning her alleged remarks.

While Saar expressed appreciation for European lawmakers who condemned Kallas's reported comments, he criticized her for not addressing the issue publicly. The alleged remarks were said to have been made during Kallas's closed-door meetings with Mexican officials, part of her high-level European delegation visit to Mexico between May 20 and 22.

The controversy arises amid increasing international scrutiny of Israel's actions in Gaza and Palestinian territories. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case before the International Court of Justice initiated by South Africa, with backing from multiple nations.