Key facts
- Diverging views on EU relations with Israel are causing a rivalry between the European Commission and High Representative Kaja Kallas.
- Commissioner Dubravka Šuica undertook a trip to Israel, which was not widely communicated and occurred shortly after Israel's foreign minister severed ties with Kallas.
- Some EU diplomats believe Šuica's actions are backed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and are intended to assert the Commission's control over foreign policy.
- MEPs and diplomats have expressed concerns that these institutional clashes undermine the EU's overall foreign policy coherence.
- The Commission is facing pressure to present options regarding trade restrictions on Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.
The European Union's approach to Israel has become a focal point for an escalating institutional power struggle between the European Commission and the bloc's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas. This rivalry over who sets foreign policy is reportedly undermining the EU's overall coherence.
Recent events have highlighted these tensions. Commissioner Dubravka Šuica traveled to Israel, a trip that was not prominently announced and caught some EU capitals by surprise. This visit occurred shortly after Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, announced he was severing all contact with Kallas following media reports where she allegedly compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa. While Šuica's trip was planned beforehand, Kallas' team reportedly questioned the timing, emphasizing the need for EU unity.
Several EU diplomats, speaking anonymously, suggested that Šuica's independent initiatives, including her participation in a US peacebuilding initiative boycotted by most EU countries, have the backing of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. These actions are seen by some as a deliberate effort by the Commission to expand its influence in foreign policy matters, potentially at the expense of Kallas' role and the European External Action Service (EEAS).
This competition is particularly evident in policy discussions concerning Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. While Kallas and many EU member states have pushed for trade restrictions, some within the Commission, like MEP Hildegard Bentele, have publicly supported Commissioner Šuica's more pragmatic approach, contrasting it with Kallas's rhetoric. MEP Lucia Annunziata criticized the Commission for perceived obstructionism on measures against Israel, noting that progress on such issues is likely due to member state pressure.
Diplomatic sources indicate that these tensions are structural, stemming from the Commission's deliberate setup of directorates like DG MENA to absorb foreign policy competences. This arrangement allows the EU executive to act independently when it deems appropriate, though critics argue it compromises the bloc's unified stance on sensitive foreign policy issues.