EU close to sanctioning a dozen violent settlers, after Hungary indicates acquiesce — diplomats

The European Union is close to agreeing on sanctions on Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians in the West Bank after Hungary signaled an end to its opposition, European diplomats say.

While much international attention has focused on Hamas’s cross-border assault from Gaza and Israel’s subsequent war there, European officials have also expressed increasing concern about rising violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

But the EU’s 27 member countries have struggled to agree on sanctions against those responsible, even after the United States and Britain imposed such measures.

Some EU members close to Israel, such as Germany and Austria, had said they were ready to approve sanctions on violent settlers after more had been imposed on Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.

Hungary, a staunch ally of the Israeli government, had been the most vociferous opposing sanctions on settlers.

But diplomats say Budapest has now allowed proposed sanctions to pass through the EU system. Some say the sanctions could be approved by EU foreign ministers on Monday but others said more time would be needed.

The struggle over the proposed sanctions reflects broader divisions on the Middle East, with some EU countries strongly backing Israel and others leaning more towards the Palestinians.

The EU has not spelled out what the sanctions would entail, but officials have said they would include bans on travel to the EU.