EU Sanctions Violent Israeli Settlers and Hamas Leaders
EU foreign ministers agreed on a new package of sanctions on Monday targeting violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and Hamas leaders, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced.
The measures cover three settlers and four settler-linked organizations whose identities have not yet been made public. The sanctions had reportedly been blocked for several months by the previous Hungarian government, which lost last month's elections.
European countries have repeatedly raised concerns over growing reports of settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
"It was high time we move from deadlock to delivery", Kallas wrote on X, adding that extremism and violence must face consequences.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar strongly criticized the decision, saying Brussels had acted arbitrarily and for political reasons without sufficient basis. He also described the comparison of Israeli citizens with Hamas terrorists as unacceptable.
Hamas did not immediately comment.