The European Union has implemented sanctions targeting violent Israeli settlers, marking an end to a protracted stalemate on the issue, though one member of the European Parliament described it as merely a “baby step.” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the consequences of violence and extremism, but a more comprehensive agreement on imposing tougher trade sanctions among the 27 member states remains elusive.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that the EU is penalizing key Israeli organizations and their leaders responsible for supporting the extremist and violent settlement of the West Bank. He strongly condemned these acts, urging an immediate cessation. While the complete list of those sanctioned has not been disclosed, it reportedly excludes two extremist Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who were sanctioned by the UK last June for inciting violence against Palestinian communities.
The breakthrough in the EU’s decision came after Hungary’s new pro-EU government withdrew its veto, which had previously impeded sanctions under the leadership of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In addition to targeting settlers, the EU also plans to impose sanctions on leading Hamas figures, according to Kallas. However, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized the EU’s actions, describing them as arbitrary and politically motivated sanctions against Israeli citizens and entities based on their political views.
Despite these measures, the sanctions fall short of the demands of some member states, such as France and Sweden, which have advocated for tariffs on imported goods from illegal settlements. In a joint statement, both countries stressed the need for the EU to increase pressure on Israel to stop its settlement policies. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard proposed tariffs on products from illegal settlements as a realistic approach to exert such pressure.
Enacting a ban on products requires unanimous consent among the 27 EU member states, whereas imposing tariffs can be decided by a majority vote. Under the current EU-Israel association agreement, goods from occupied territories do not benefit from preferential trade terms, though trade itself is not prohibited.