European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, a decision made possible by a shift in Hungary’s position under its newly installed government.
“Today, we reached a political agreement to sanction Israeli extremists settlers and entities,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, after a meeting in Brussels. “We move from political deadlock that was there for a long time. Violence and extremism carry consequences.”
The sanctions, which include asset freezes and travel bans, will also apply to members of Hamas, which the EU designates as a terrorist organisation. This dual targeting was a condition set by several member states to secure their support.
Hungary’s Change of Course
Previous attempts to expand EU sanctions on settlers had been blocked by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who prioritised close ties with Israel. However, Péter Magyar, sworn in as prime minister last Saturday, signalled his willingness to back broadly supported sanctions packages. The shift ended months of paralysis within the bloc on the issue.
The EU had already imposed limited sanctions in 2024, targeting five individuals and three entities for “serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank,” according to the Council of the EU. Those included Moshe Sharvit in the Jordan Valley, whose harassment of communities escalated after October 2023.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal. The International Court of Justice has described Israel’s “continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” as unlawful. Recent Israeli measures to tighten control over property law, planning, and licensing in the West Bank appear to contravene the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Broader EU Options Under Consideration
Beyond sanctions on individuals, the EU is exploring trade measures, including a ban on products originating from settlements or high tariffs to make such trade prohibitive. However, these steps require either unanimous agreement or a qualified majority among member states, making them difficult to adopt.
Some countries, including Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, have pushed for more drastic action, such as suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement or sanctioning far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. But Germany and Italy remain reluctant to support such moves, leaving the bloc’s response incremental for now.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticised the sanctions as “arbitrary,” arguing they target Israeli citizens “because of their political views and without any basis.”
The decision comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank and broader regional tensions, including Israeli strikes in Lebanon that have killed dozens despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah. The EU’s ability to act on settler violence remains constrained by internal divisions, as highlighted by ongoing debates over Germany’s push to end the unanimity rule in foreign policy decisions.
