The EU approves sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank

Brussels – At last, the European Union has decided to take action and impose sanctions on violent settlers. The announcement was made by the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, who spoke to the press before the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, appeared at a press conference. “We have reached a majority to impose sanctions on violent settlers,” said the Foreign Minister, hailing what he described as “an important step forward.” Credit goes to the change of government in Hungary, which made it possible to overcome vetoes and opposition to the decision and “break the deadlock that had persisted for months.” Credit is also due to the political choice that responds to the classic “two-pronged approach”,
running with the hare and hunting with the hounds: “There will also be sanctions against certain Hamas representatives,” adds Tajani. 

This, then, is the political formula devised in Brussels by the EU-27 to enable the government of the Jewish state to accept the restrictive measures against Israeli citizens. The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, frames the decision taken in Brussels with statements designed to reaffirm France’s solidarity with Israel, thereby maintaining good relations with the government in Tel Aviv: “The European Union is sanctioning the main leaders of Hamas, responsible for the worst anti-Semitic massacre in our history since the Holocaust, in which 51 French citizens lost their lives.” A reference to the operation launched on 7 October 2023, which, the French minister emphasises, has led the EU to impose restrictive measures because “this terrorist movement must be disarmed and excluded from any participation in the future of Palestine.” 

As for Italy, Tajani goes on to explain, the green light for the package of sanctions against Israeli settlers is also due to acts of aggression and desecration against the Catholic faith. “This has led to a tougher stance,” admits the Foreign Minister, recalling the attack on the nun and the disruption of Mass on Palm Sunday. “There is an aggressive attitude that we do not like.” 

The European Commission will now have to work on proposals for trade sanctions against Israeli settlers, in line with the French and Swedish requests, to impose “a customs blockade on their products,” Tajani reveals. “We have discussed trade restrictions with the settlers,” confirms Kallas, assuring that in this regard, “we will now work with the Commission” to find a solution to target even more Israeli individuals and organisations guilty of supporting the extremist and violent activities of the West Bank settlements. The High Representative rejoices: “The time had come to move from deadlock to decision.” 

Criticism has come from the European Parliament, with Danilo Della Valle, a Five Star Movement MEP, describing the choice of foreign ministers as “insufficient”: “European sanctions against violent settlers are merely a slap on the wrist for [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, who will continue his criminal strategy in the Middle East,” accuses the Five Star member, who argues that “with these sanctions, the EU is trying to clear its conscience after the silence and collusion shown since the start of the ground operations that have destroyed the Gaza Strip.”