EU’s hawkish new leadership announced, without Israel critic Borrell
Former Estonian PM Kaja Kallas expected to take over for European Union foreign policy chief, whom Israel’s FM has called ‘antisemitic’
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen unveiled in Strasbourg on Tuesday her new senior team to lead the EU through the next five years.
The proposed commission offers a tough front to Russia, with the new defense brief going to former Lithuanian prime minister Andrius Kubilius, one of several hawkish Russia critics in eastern Europe to receive a prominent role.
Another was Estonia’s ex-premier Kaja Kallas, who had already been selected as the bloc’s new foreign policy chief. She will replace Spain’s Josep Borrell, whose tenure was marked by pointed criticism of Israel.
Kallas has not been generally outspoken on Israel, and has focused on the threat Russia poses to the Baltic states and the rest of Europe.
She firmly denounced Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel in April, calling it “unjustified.”
Kallas also blasted Hamas after the October 7 attack that started the ongoing war in Gaza.
“Hamas is waging a ruthless campaign of terror with zero regard for human life, including the lives of Palestinians,” she said in November. “Israel is fully entitled to defend itself. But it must do so in a way that spares innocent lives and adheres to the norms of international law.”
“Kallas knows firsthand the implications of living in an unstable region and experiencing foreign aggression,” said ELNET, an organization that works to foster closer ties between Israel and Europe.
“Kallas has a deep understanding of foreign aggression and terrorism, and what Israel is going through since Oct. 7, just as the Russian threat looms over Europe, the Iranian threat destabilizes the Middle East, highlighting the need for a united front against these common challenges,” the statement continued.
Estonia under Kallas has been one of Europe’s most vocal backers of Ukraine following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
Kallas, Estonia’s first female prime minister, handed in her formal resignation in July to replace Borrell.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Borrell of “antisemitism,” after the top diplomat expressed outrage over Israeli strikes in the central Gaza Strip last week, in which the UN said six of its staffers were killed.
Katz charged that the senior EU official “is an antisemite and Israel-hater who consistently tries to pass resolutions and sanctions against Israel in the EU, only to be blocked by most member states.”
“There’s a difference between legitimate criticism and policy disagreements, which are normal among friends, and the antisemitic, hate-filled campaign Borrell is leading against Israel,” he said.
In June, Borrell invited Katz to an “ad hoc” EU-Israel Association Council meeting, which would have been the first such gathering since October 2022. Katz did not accept.
Borrell also alleged in March that “starvation is used as a weapon of war [in Gaza]. Israel is provoking famine.”
Borrell also had a contentious relationship with Katz’s predecessor Eli Cohen, who accused him of equating between IDF operations and Palestinian terror attacks, and telling the Spaniard Israel would not lift a finger to welcome him if he wanted to make an official visit.
Kallas and the other commissioners will face confirmation hearings in the European Parliament. Hearings are set to start in Brussels in the coming weeks and lawmakers could flex their muscles by rejecting some candidates.
The new commission is not likely to assume power before December.
Of note for Israel, Hungarian Oliver Varhelyi, the current commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement, will be pushed into a reduced role covering health and animal welfare.
Varhelyi was a staunch friend of Israel in the EU.
During a May visit, Varhelyi said that “it is impossible to let Hamas escape punishment. Hamas must not remain in Gaza. If they get away with what they have done, October 7 could happen to anyone, anywhere. Hamas could end the war tomorrow and release all the hostages, but they are not doing that.”
His role will be split between Croatia’s Dubravka Suica overseeing the Mediterranean region, and Slovenia’s Marta Kos — yet to be confirmed as her country’s candidate — the enlargement gig.
