The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said the bloc was “alarmed” by deadly violence carried out by “extremist settlers” in the occupied territory.
The European Union’s top diplomat said he would propose sanctions against Jewish settlers who are violent against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday the bloc was “alarmed by extremist settler violence in the West Bank” and condemned the Israeli government’s decision to approve 1,700 more housing units in Jerusalem, which Brussels considers to be a violation of international law. .
“The time has come to move from words to action…and to start adopting the measures we can take in the face of acts of violence against the Palestinian population in the West Bank,” Borrell told reporters after meeting the ministers. of EU Foreign Affairs in Brussels. next steps regarding the Israeli war on Gaza.
Since October 7, settler attacks against Palestinians have more than doubled, according to the United Nations. Combined with raids by Israeli forces, at least 275 people have since been killed in the occupied territory, including at least 63 children, and 3,365 others have been injured.
Although Borrell said ministers were not entirely enthusiastic about the proposed measure, he will work with EU officials to compile a list of prominent settlers who have carried out attacks.
The foreign policy chief has not yet submitted a formal proposal, but said he would suggest that the settlers be sanctioned for human rights violations.
Borrell did not give details of the sanctions, but EU officials said they would include bans on travel to the EU, a difficult proposition some diplomats say because countries like Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary are staunch allies of Israel.
However, last week, Israel’s biggest ally, the United States, imposed a visa ban on settlers involved in violent attacks in the occupied West Bank.
France said last month it was also considering such measures, while Belgium said it would ban settlers from entering the country.
Israeli settler violence increased last year after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government, which itself includes ultranationalist settlers, expressed support.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, considered illegal by much of the world, are built on territory captured by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
The number of settlements in the occupied territories has increased significantly over the past decade, with Palestinians describing settler violence as part of a broader Israeli effort to force them from their land.
Borrell also said he would propose a separate sanctions program against Hamas, which has faced no opposition from any EU minister. The EU already considers Hamas a terrorist organization.
