Analysis
EU Parliament debates a response to Israel; Kallas shows signs of impatience
The European left erupted in outrage on the Parliament floor: the showdown peaked when Italian MEP Mimmo Lucano accused Kallas of silence over genocide.
Europe is not speaking with one voice on Benjamin Netanyahu’s wars in Gaza and against Iran, and the split starts at the very top. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has planted herself squarely in Israel’s camp, while the new High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas is showing some reservations.
During last week’s fiery Gaza debate in Strasbourg, requested by The Left group, Kallas reminded Israel – though not without ambiguities – that its onslaught in the Strip must respect international law and that Tel Aviv’s stated aim of taking the whole enclave would cross a red line: “Altering, reducing or annexing territory is a direct violation of international law.” She added, “Regime change in Iran is not part of the EU’s agreed position,” pointedly distancing herself from voices in Washington and Jerusalem.
By contrast, von der Leyen continues to grant Israel the full “right to self-defence,” implicitly covering its attack on Tehran as well, while Kallas is only willing to use the more limited formula that Israel may “protect itself.”
A tug-of-war between the Commission president and the EU’s foreign-policy chief is nothing new. In the previous mandate, outgoing High Representative Josep Borrell grew openly critical of Netanyahu, whereas the German Commission leader chose to stand by the latter, barely managing to utter the weakest of rebukes in the face of civil-society outrage over the carnage in Gaza.
Since taking office, Kallas has raced ahead on Ukraine while side-stepping the Palestinian question; now, however, circumstances have forced her to speak up, and her words show a certain distance from those of the Commission President. She told Parliament she would be “in favor of sanctions” against Netanyahu, “but there is no unanimity in the Council” to adopt them – technically true, but also a convenient excuse.
The European left erupted in outrage on the Parliament floor: the showdown peaked when Italian MEP Mimmo Lucano accused Kallas of silence over genocide. In reply, the High Representative shot back the non-sequitur that Lucano himself had chosen to avoid dialogue by walking out straight after his speech.
Originally published at https://ilmanifesto.it/in-guerra-gli-equilibrismi-di-kallas-e-il-sostegno-di-von-der-leyen on 2025-06-19