European Union foreign ministers agreed to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of violent attacks on Palestinians on Monday, breaking months of political deadlock over such a move.<\/p>\n
The move comes after months of delay caused by Hungary, and sends a clear signal. The defeat of Viktor Orban, Hungary\u2019s former prime minister, could be the beginning of a new era in which Europe will be harder on Israel.<\/p>\n
Hungary had been blocking the measures for months under Mr. Orban\u2019s government. But after Peter Magyar was sworn in<\/a> as Hungary\u2019s prime minister this weekend, the dynamics for European Union decision-making have changed. Mr. Magyar\u2019s government has suggested he will not block sanctions packages that are otherwise broadly supported.<\/p>\n \u201cE.U. foreign ministers just gave the go-ahead to sanction Israeli settlers over violence against Palestinians,\u201d Kaja Kallas, the European Union\u2019s top diplomat, said in a social media post on Monday afternoon in Brussels, without offering further details on who would be subject to those measures. \u201cIt was high time we move from deadlock to delivery. Extremism and violence carry consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms. Kallas said there would also be new sanctions on \u201cleading Hamas figures,\u201d also without offering further details. Individual sanctions typically carry repercussions for travel and banking.<\/p>\n Four Israeli organizations and three individuals are expected to be sanctioned over settler violence, according to two European officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss figures that are not yet public. Another 10 individuals from Hamas, the Islamist militant group, are expected to face sanctions, the two officials said.<\/p>\n \u201cIsrael firmly rejects the decision to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and organizations,\u201d Gideon Sa\u2019ar, Israel\u2019s minister of foreign affairs, posted on social media<\/a> after the news was announced. \u201cThe attempt to impose political views through sanctions is unacceptable and will not succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n The approval of the sanctions came at a meeting of foreign affairs ministers from around the 27-nation European Union, held on Monday in Brussels. Technical details in imposing the sanctions will now be worked out.<\/p>\n \u201cThese sanctions mean that individuals, for whom a file has been compiled showing they have committed such violence, will be banned from entering Europe, and their assets there may also be frozen,\u201d Tom Berendsen, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, told reporters after the meeting. <\/p>\n