European commissioner discusses EU-Israel relationship, Gaza with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar

Jerusalem Post/Israel NewsThe EU's 27 member ⁠states are divided on Israel, with some highly critical of the country and others maintaining close ties.Follow us on GoogleEU Commissioner for Mediterranean Dubravka Suica talks to media in the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter on June 9, 2026 in Brussels, Belgium.(photo credit: THIERRY MONASSE/GETTY IMAGES)SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 15:25European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica discussed the European Union's relationship with Israel, regional stability, and Gaza recovery efforts with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Sunday, the commissioner announced.Suica said in a post on X/Twitter after the call that they discussed EU-Israel "relations and our shared interest in security and stability across the Middle East. This includes a reformed and functioning Palestinian Authority."On Gaza, "I focused on the urgent need to advance early recovery," she said, adding that "our continued cooperation is key to delivering early recovery projects on the ground."The commissioner announced in July that the EU and like-minded partners launched an initiative to help fund Gaza's early recovery focused on restoring essential social and economic services, rehabilitating critical infrastructure and strengthening governance.The EU has criticized Israel's conduct ​in the war in Gaza while reaffirming Israel's right to defend itself. It has also criticized Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, viewed by the EU as an obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace and the establishment of a Palestinian state.Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar speaks during a signing ceremony for an agreement establishing the future permanent campus of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, July 1, 2026. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)EU states divided on IsraelBut the ​EU's 27 member ⁠states are divided, with some highly critical of Israel and others maintaining close ties.Sa'ar said in June that he was severing "all contact" with EU foreign policy chief Kaja ‌Kallas over what he said were remarks attributed to her comparing Israel to apartheid-era South Africa.Follow us on Google