Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz launched a scathing attack on European Union Foreign Minister Josep Borrell on Saturday night, accusing him of leading an “antisemitic campaign” against Israel. Katz’s remarks followed Borrell’s involvement in discussions concerning the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Katz believes aligns Borrell with Israel’s adversaries.
In his statement, Katz called Borrell “an antisemitic Israel-hater who leads a campaign against Israel like the greatest antisemites in history.” Katz added: “Instead of acting against the Iranian axis of evil, he joins forces with them.”
Katz further accused Borrell of harboring long-standing bias against Israel, regularly pushing for resolutions and sanctions within the European Union. However, according to Katz, these efforts have been blocked by most EU member states.
“There’s a difference between legitimate criticism and policy disagreements between friends, and the hateful, antisemitic campaign Borrell is leading against Israel—akin to the greatest antisemites in history,” Katz said. He argued that, instead of addressing the Iranian threat to European security, Borrell has “sided with them in promoting anti-Israel initiatives.”
Katz’s tweet accuses Borrell of focusing on Israel instead of Iran
Katz’s strong remarks followed a tweet he posted on Friday, where he condemned Borrell for prioritizing anti-Israel efforts instead of focusing on Iran. Katz wrote: “In the same week that the US, Germany, France, and the UK imposed sanctions on Iran’s aviation ties due to the supply of missiles threatening Europe, the outgoing EU Foreign Minister Borrell is busy with hate campaigns against the State of Israel. Instead of advocating for the European Union to join the sanctions against Iran, Borrell supports the establishment of a Palestinian terror state, which would be controlled by Iran and the axis of evil against Israel, moderate Arab states, and Europe. This is the legacy Borrell is leaving behind—antisemitism and hatred towards Israel.”
Katz’s comments came after the EU's failure to impose its own sanctions on Iran, in contrast to the actions taken by major Western powers. Borrell has faced criticism in Israel before for what is perceived as his lenient stance on Iran, a nation considered by Israel to be a significant threat in the region.
Borrell denies antisemitism accusations
Borrell responded to Katz’s accusations on Friday, denying the claim of antisemitism. “Accusing those who disagree with a government’s position of antisemitism makes no sense,” Borrell said.
“There have unfortunately been examples in history of what it means to be antisemitic, and I don’t think we should play with big words that have had a tragic dimension in history,” he added, implying that the term should not be misused.
Borrell defended his stance, saying that supporting a Palestinian state is part of the European Union’s broader policy in seeking a two-state solution, which he argued is the key to long-term peace in the region. However, Israeli officials view such moves as undermining Israel’s security, particularly due to Iran’s involvement with Palestinian groups.
Growing diplomatic tensions between Israel and the EU
Katz’s condemnation of Borrell came after the EU foreign policy chief participated in a meeting focused on the establishment of a Palestinian state, which Israel sees as a security threat. On Friday, Katz had already criticized Borrell on X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of supporting the creation of “a Palestinian terror state controlled by Iran, and the axis of evil against Israel, moderate Arab states, and Europe.”
“This is Borrell’s legacy—antisemitism and hatred towards Israel,” Katz tweeted.
The diplomatic clash underscores escalating tensions between Israel and parts of the European Union over policies related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran’s influence in the region. While Israel seeks to rally Western powers against the growing threat posed by Iran, EU officials like Borrell continue to push for dialogue and negotiations regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, often to Israel’s frustration.