Former EU vice president Borrell accuses body of abandoning Kaja Kallas over Israel spat Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 06/24/2026 - 12:40 Israel broke off ties with the EU's foreign policy chief after report that she privately compared country's conduct to apartheid South Africa Former EU Vice President Josep Borrell Fontelles speaks to the press as he arrives for a meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Brussels on 19 November 2024 (Nicolas Tucat/AFP) Off Former EU Vice President Josep Borrell has accused the EU of abandoning his successor Kaja Kallas in favour of Israel . Last week, Kallas provoked fury in Israel after a report suggested she had compared the country's conduct with that of Apartheid South Africa during a meeting with Mexican officials in May. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was suspending contact with Kallas.