The foreign ministers of the European Union reached a political agreement on new sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank after Hungary’s new leadership lifted its previous veto on the issue. The decision comes amid growing international criticism in recent months over Israeli settlement expansion and violence against Palestinian civilians.
The measures are expected to include asset freezes and travel bans against individuals and organizations that, according to the EU, are linked to violent settler movements in the West Bank. The sanctions package also targets several Hamas leaders, which was a condition for the support of multiple member states.
According to the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, the agreement represents a breakthrough after a long-standing political deadlock. The politician emphasized that the message is that violence and extremism carry consequences.
‘We move from political deadlock that was there for a long time. Violence and extremism carry consequences,’ Kallas said.
The newly approved sanctions also come amid increasingly sharp criticism from the United Nations. Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, recently described Israel’s policy in the West Bank as ‘unlawful settlement expansion’ and said that Israel is seeking ‘the annexation of large parts of the occupied West Bank.’
‘The EU’s decision can be interpreted as part of a broader international trend that has been developing for some time’
The European Union has previously introduced similar measures against violent settlers. In 2024 the EU sanctioned five individuals and three entities that, according to the Council of the European Union, were responsible for ‘serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank’. International sanctions against settlers have also been introduced since 2024 by countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada against violent Israeli settlers and organizations.
The EU’s decision can therefore be interpreted as part of a broader international trend that has been developing for some time. At the same time, the move also signals a possible shift in the EU’s political dynamics regarding Israel, particularly following the end of the Hungarian veto.
No Orbán, No Veto
One of the key political factors behind the decision is that the previous Hungarian government had blocked the adoption of such EU sanctions for months. Sanctions against settlers require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. The government of Viktor Orbán was considered one of Israel’s strongest allies in Europe and regularly opposed tougher EU measures against Israel. The current breakthrough became possible due to the support of Hungary’s new government.
At the same time, there is still no full consensus within the European Union regarding policy toward Israel. Some member states—including Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia—are calling for much stronger measures, such as restrictions on products originating from Israeli settlements or a review of the EU–Israel Association Agreement. Other countries, including Germany and Italy, have adopted a more cautious stance.
The Israeli government criticized the EU’s decision. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described the EU’s move as ‘arbitrary’, saying it sanctions Israeli citizens and entities ‘because of their political views and without any basis’.
‘Israel has stood, stands, and will continue to stand for the right of Jews to live in the heart of our homeland,’ Sa’ar wrote. ‘No other people in the world has a documented and long-standing right to their land in the way the Jewish people have to the Land of Israel.’
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