EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.. Photo courtsey of AlQahera News
In a wide-ranging interview with AlQahera News, Kallas said the EU has a specialized police mission capable of training Palestinian police officers, noting that such missions had been implemented previously and that a similar effort in cooperation with Egypt is under discussion.
She stressed that any security or political process must be led and owned by Palestinians themselves, reaffirming the EU’s support for a two-state solution and the need for full Palestinian control of the political process in both the West Bank and Gaza.
Kallas said that responsibility for disarming Hamas should rest exclusively with Palestinian security forces, emphasizing that foreign troops should not be assigned this role.
She added that discussions on deploying an international stabilization force in Gaza have not yet produced action, citing reluctance among potential troop-contributing countries to become involved in the sensitive issue of disarmament, which has delayed any deployment.
According to Kallas, strengthening the institutional and operational capacity of Palestinian police is a cornerstone of any future governance and security arrangement in Gaza, enabling Palestinians to maintain order and manage internal security without foreign military intervention.
She said the Rafah border crossing is critical to both Egypt and the EU, stressing it must remain open in both directions to allow civilians to leave Gaza and return to their homes.
Kallas noted that the EU is the world’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance and emphasized that aid must reach its intended recipients.
She expressed the EU's dissatisfaction with Israeli authorities over their decision not to register international non-governmental organisations responsible for distributing aid, despite assistance being available on the ground.
She said the EU does not agree with all of Israel’s actions, particularly regarding humanitarian access and military operations.
Kallas reiterated Europe’s rejection of the displacement of Gaza’s population or the occupation of territory in violation of international law, saying the EU’s position aligns with Egypt’s on these issues.
She acknowledged that influencing developments remains extremely difficult, particularly given US support for Israel, describing the situation as highly challenging with limited tools available.
She also described Egypt as an “extremely important partner” for the EU in the Middle East and praised Cairo’s key diplomatic role in managing regional crises, including in Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria.
Kallas said discussions on security and defence cooperation with Egypt have gained importance amid a highly unstable global environment, particularly as disruptions affect trade and maritime security in the Red Sea.
On Lebanon, Kallas said the situation complicates efforts to disarm Hezbollah, noting that Israeli threats make it harder for the Lebanese state and citizens to relinquish weapons.
She added that disarmament would have been easier without such threats and urged all parties to avoid actions that could further escalate tensions, while acknowledging the political and security complexity.
Internationally, Kallas described EU-US relations as those of allies, noting that the two sides do not always agree on every issue.
On the war in Ukraine, she said Europe, the United States, and Ukraine are working toward peace, but that peace requires two willing parties. The main obstacle, she added, is Russia’s unwillingness to end the war, placing greater responsibility on the European Union to continue its efforts.
She stated that achieving peace in Sudan is essential to enable progress on subsequent steps, while stability in Yemen and Lebanon serves European interests despite the numerous threats facing both countries.
Kallas stressed the importance of avoiding external interference in states’ internal affairs and said the EU is closely monitoring protests in Iran, noting that the bloc remains in contact with regional partners with deeper insight into developments there.
She concluded by highlighting the European Union’s significant trade relationship with Egypt, noting it could be further developed, and pointed to broad potential for deeper cooperation with Cairo on addressing irregular migration from Africa.
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