LONDON

EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas urged the US to reconsider its visa ban on Palestinian officials, citing international law and the UN's founding principles.

Following an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, on Saturday, she spoke at a press conference about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, warning that designating Gaza City as a combat zone risks exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

She also discussed the US decision to revoke visas for Palestinian Authority officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, which prevented them from attending the UN General Assembly.

"We all urge that this decision be reconsidered in light of international law and the structure of the UN. So this is the agreement that we all reached on this topic," she explained.

She argued that Israel's declaration of Gaza City as a combat zone would only exacerbate the crisis. "If a military solution were possible, the war would have already ended. Gaza needs less war, not more war," she added.

On the West Bank, she condemned Israel's decision to accelerate settlement activity, calling it "illegal and undermining the two-state solution."

Kallas stressed that EU member states have already taken measures against Israel's government, rather than Israel itself. "There's an important distinction to make. It is not against Israel, but rather the actions of the Israeli government, including sanctioning ministers and suspending arms exports," she said.

She acknowledged disagreements among member states about how to apply pressure on the Israeli government but insisted that options are still being discussed.

"We have presented an option paper, but the problem is that not all EU member states are on board," she said, adding that a "broad majority of member states gave more ideas" on possible next steps.