Pro-Israel Estonian PM Kallas nominated next EU foreign minister

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is known to be sympathetic toward Israel, has been nominated to replace Joseph Borrell as the next European Union foreign minister.

Kallas, who has yet to be formally appointed, belongs to the liberal European political camp. She supports the two-state solution but, at the same time, has expressed strong support for Israel.

Following the Hamas Oct. 7 invasion and massacre of 1,200 Israelis, Kallas retweeted the pro-Israel message of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

“The full scale of the brutality of the Hamas terror attack leaves us breathless. Defenseless people, brutally murdered in cold blood on the streets. We stand strong with Israel and its people. Today the EU and Israeli flags fly side by side,” read von der Leyen’s original message that was shared on 𝕏 by Kallas.

While Kallas has backed international efforts to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, she has simultaneously supported Israel’s right to defend itself against enemies bent on the Jewish state’s destruction.

“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 stated in November.

The small Baltic state of Estonia, which shares a border with its powerful neighbor Russia, has known its fair share of trauma.

Even before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Estonia and other Baltic states feared they would be the next Russian target.

“The Baltic states are a NATO peninsula and therefore we have our worries, Kallas told media representatives at the time.

“As a society, we must be prepared for a surge of war refugees, a deepening energy crisis, cyberattacks, as well as a wider economic and social impact," the Estonian prime minister added.

The current EU foreign minister has often exhibited a critical stance towards Israel. Borrell's statements and policy positions have frequently been perceived as hostile by Israeli officials and supporters, reflecting ongoing tensions between the EU and Israel since Oct. 7.