The European Union agrees to punish settlers who practice violence in the West Bank

European Union foreign policy official Kaya Kallas said that the bloc’s foreign ministers reached an agreement on Monday on new sanctions targeting Israeli settlers who practice violence in the occupied West Bank, in addition to leading figures in the Hamas movement.

The sanctions package, which targets three settlers and four settler organizations, whose identities have not yet been revealed, has been stalled for several months due to the objection of the previous Hungarian government, which lost the elections last month.

European governments expressed concern about increasing reports of settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

“It is time to move from a state of stagnation to achievement,” Callas said in a post on “Exit,” adding, “Extremism and violence have dire consequences.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on “X” that the European Union “chose, arbitrarily and politically, to impose sanctions on Israeli entities because of their political views and without any basis.”