European Union flags fly outside the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
In a decisive move, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced on Monday his intention to propose sanctions targeting Jewish settlers responsible for violence against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The proposal comes in the wake of the Middle East crisis triggered by Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7.
While international attention has predominantly focused on the cross-border conflict and Israel’s response to Hamas in Gaza, European officials have expressed mounting concerns regarding escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Borrell, backed by foreign ministers from France, Germany, and Italy, indicated the need to shift from rhetoric to action. He emphasized the necessity to adopt measures addressing acts of violence against the Palestinian population in the West Bank. Though unanimous support among ministers has not been confirmed, Borrell clarified that he had yet to formally submit the proposal.
The proposed sanctions would establish a special program targeting individuals known for attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, with a focus on human rights abuses. While the specifics of the sanctions were not detailed, it is anticipated that they may include travel bans to the EU.
Challenges to achieving unanimity within the EU arise from the staunch support for Israel by countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. However, recent actions by the United States, Israel’s principal ally, imposing visa bans on those involved in West Bank violence, could influence EU countries to adopt similar measures.
France, suggesting domestic sanctions against individuals involved in violence, has been echoed by Belgium, which plans to ban such individuals from its territory. For EU-wide effectiveness, any imposed ban would need enforcement across the Schengen zone, the bloc’s border-free area.
The settlements in the West Bank, a deeply contentious issue in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, continue to expand over land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War, sought by Palestinians for a future independent state. While considered illegal by most countries, their expansion persists.
Addressing the issue of a special sanctions program targeting Hamas, Borrell asserted that no minister opposed the idea. The EU already designates Hamas as a terrorist organization, leading to the freezing of its funds or assets within the EU. France, Germany, and Italy, in a letter to Borrell, advocated for a specialized Hamas sanctions program, viewing it as a means to convey a strong political message and counteract activities destabilizing the region.
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