BRUSSELS, Belgium: The European Union is expected to approve long-delayed sanctions against Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the bloc’s top diplomat said on Monday.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected member states to reach political agreement during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
“I expect political agreement on the sanctions on violent settlers, hopefully we will get there,” Kallas told reporters.
The sanctions proposal had been blocked for months by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Israel.
However, officials say the recent political change in Hungary, following Orban’s replacement by rival Peter Magyar, has opened the way for the measures to move forward.
According to EU officials, seven Israeli settlers or settler-linked organisations are expected to be added to the bloc’s sanctions blacklist.
Violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank has intensified since the start of the Gaza genocide in October 2023.
Palestinian authorities and the United Nations have also reported a rise in deadly settler attacks since the Iran conflict erupted earlier this year.
Despite progress on the sanctions package, EU member states remain divided over broader measures against Israel, including possible restrictions on trade relations with the country.
