Israel Policy at Center of Growing EU Leadership Feud – Report

“Kallas is in a very bad relationship with von der Leyen and is trying to push her to act against Israel,” an EU official said.

By United with Israel Staff

A growing power struggle between two of the European Union’s most influential leaders has spilled over into the bloc’s policy toward Israel, with senior European and Israeli officials saying EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has sought to push the union toward a tougher line against the Jewish state.

According to a report by Israel’s N12, tensions between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Kallas have intensified in recent months amid broader disputes over the direction of the EU’s foreign policy.

Israeli and European officials told the outlet that Israel has become one of the key flashpoints in the rivalry.

“Kallas is in a very bad relationship with von der Leyen and is trying to push her to act against Israel,” an EU official familiar with the matter told N12.

The report said Kallas has consistently advocated a more confrontational approach toward Israel than von der Leyen and many EU member states, pressing European leaders to adopt stronger measures against Jerusalem.

“Everyone knows Kallas has never had good relations with the Israeli government,” the European official said. “Everyone in Brussels knows she isn’t really interested in dialogue, as she claims. She’s trying to push the heads of state in her direction to achieve stronger measures against Israel.”

An Israeli diplomat confirmed to N12 that the tensions between the two senior EU officials have also been felt in Jerusalem while stressing that Israel is only one of several issues dividing them.

Earlier this month, reports emerged that Kallas privately compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to South Africa’s apartheid regime during closed-door meetings with Mexican officials.

The reported remarks further strained already tense relations with Jerusalem after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced he was suspending diplomatic engagement with Kallas.

According to N12, the dispute over Israel reflects a much broader institutional power struggle within the European Union.

Von der Leyen and Kallas have reportedly been competing for greater control over the bloc’s foreign policy, with critics accusing Kallas of advancing her own agenda rather than representing the consensus of member states.

Euronews previously reported that von der Leyen had privately signaled to Kallas that “she does not need her” while increasingly taking the lead on foreign policy matters.

The report also cited senior European diplomats who said Kallas has struggled to build alliances within the EU, limiting her ability to advance major initiatives.

The growing divide comes as several member states have reportedly pushed for reforms that would reduce Kallas’ authority over EU foreign policy, further highlighting the deepening tensions at the top of the European Union.