Hundreds dead in the West Bank
EU wants to impose sanctions against Israeli settlers
March 15, 2024, 10:01 p.m
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After the USA, the EU is now also reacting. It also plans sanctions against violent Israeli settlers. According to the Palestinian Authority, 430 Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli soldiers or violent settlers in the West Bank since October 7th.
After the USA, the European Union also wants to impose sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the Middle East war. A political agreement is expected at the EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday, a high-ranking EU official said on condition of anonymity. In addition, stricter punitive measures are planned against the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Since Hamas’ major attack on Israel on October 7th, the situation has not only worsened in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, at least 430 Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli soldiers or violent settlers, the Palestinian Authority said.
Tougher sanctions also against Hamas
Washington therefore imposed sanctions on extremist Jewish settlers at the beginning of December and announced they would be tightened on Thursday of this week. Among other things, the US denies entry to anyone who “undermines peace, security or stability in the West Bank.”
According to diplomats, the EU is also planning entry bans and a freeze of assets in Europe if the settlers have them. Hungary had blocked the unanimous agreement for a long time, but now gave in. The EU justifies the tightened sanctions against Hamas with the accusation that the Islamists sexually abused Israeli hostages, as the EU official said.
There will also be a discussion at the meeting of foreign ministers about a move by Spain and Ireland to suspend the association agreement between the EU and Israel. Mutual trade relations have been based on this since 2000. The governments in Madrid and Dublin, which are traditionally close to the Palestinians, justify this with human rights violations in the Gaza Strip.