Tensions Rise Between EU's Ursula von der Leyen and Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas Over Israel Policy

Tensions have escalated between Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Kaja Kallas, the European Union's Foreign Minister, over their differing approaches to Israel. According to diplomats familiar with the matter, Kallas has pushed for a more confrontational stance against Israel than von der Leyen and most EU member states, leading to a strained relationship between the two leaders. A European official told N12 that Kallas is attempting to pressure von der Leyen into adopting stronger measures against Israel, a move that has not gone unnoticed in Jerusalem.

Kallas has publicly advocated for tougher EU actions against Israel and reportedly compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa in private discussions, a comparison that prompted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to sever ties with her earlier this month. Israeli diplomats confirmed that the rift between Kallas and von der Leyen is evident in Jerusalem and noted that Israel is only one of several contentious issues dividing the two.

The broader power struggle between von der Leyen and Kallas centers on control over the EU's foreign policy. Von der Leyen has conveyed to Kallas that she does not need her support and is working to consolidate authority over the EU's external affairs. Critics of Kallas in Europe accuse her of pursuing a personal agenda rather than representing the collective positions of EU governments, and some diplomats describe her as lacking the ability to build alliances within the EU.

Recent reports from Euronews and the Financial Times reveal that France, backed by Germany and other countries, circulated a document proposing significant reforms to the EU's foreign service. The proposals include options to reduce Kallas's power in favor of the European Commission or member states, or alternatively, to expand her authority at the Commission's expense. These proposals have further intensified the rivalry between von der Leyen and Kallas amid widespread dissatisfaction in Europe with the current management of the EU's foreign relations.