EU announces sanctions against violent Israel settlers

"Violence and extremism carry consequences. But there was still no consensus among the 27 member states on more hard-hitting trade sanctions."

"The EU was sanctioning the main Israeli organisations guilty of supporting the extremist and violent colonisation of the West Bank, as well as their leaders. These most serious and intolerable acts must cease without delay, he wrote on social media."

"The pair were put under UK sanctions last June for their repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities. The deadlock was broken after Hungary's new pro-EU government lifted its veto on the sanctions, which had been blocked by the previous prime minister, Viktor Orban."

"Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, said the EU had chosen in an arbitrary and political manner, to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and entities because of their political views and without any basis. France and Sweden have called for tariffs on imported products from illegal settlements."

The EU agreed sanctions targeting violent Israeli settlers, ending a years-long deadlock among member states. The EU foreign policy chief said violence and extremism carry consequences, while consensus on stronger trade sanctions was still missing. France said the EU would sanction main Israeli organizations supporting extremist and violent colonization in the West Bank, including their leaders, and that the most serious acts must stop without delay. The full list of names was not published immediately, and it was understood to exclude Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Hungary lifted its veto after a change in government. The EU also planned sanctions on leading Hamas figures. Israel’s foreign minister rejected the measures as arbitrary and without basis, and France and Sweden called for tariffs on products from illegal settlements.

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