EU ministers impose sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank

EU foreign ministers approved new sanctions targeting Israeli settlers engaged in violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on May 11, 2026, breaking months of political deadlock within the bloc. The sanctions represent the EU's most direct enforcement action against settler violence, a practice that has accelerated in recent years and drawn repeated condemnations from international bodies. The move matters globally as it reflects growing international pressure on Israel over settlement expansion and settler conduct—a core element of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute that shapes Middle East stability and international diplomacy.