EU foreign ministers have agreed to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers who perpetrate violence in the occupied West Bank, the DPA agency reported.
The EU sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze and will come into effect in the coming days when they are published in the EU's Official Journal. EU citizens will also be banned from doing business with the targeted countries.
A previous EU attempt to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers failed after opposition from Hungary, a strong supporter of Israel. Sanctions require unanimity from all EU member states.
Tensions in the West Bank have risen sharply since Israeli attacks on Gaza following the October 7 Hamas invasion. Palestinians complain of increased violence by Israeli settlers against their villages and olive groves.
The EU sanctions come after the US imposed punitive measures on two West Bank settlements and targeted three settlers.
As part of the agreement to sanction Israeli settlers, more sanctions will be introduced against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, EU diplomats said.
In the past, the EU has already imposed sanctions several times on Hamas, which operates mainly in the Gaza Strip, and on its representatives./BGNES