EU’s top diplomat ‘hopeful’ that bloc will sanction violent West Bank settlers today

By Reuters and ToI Staff 11 May 2026, 9:02 am

1 Edit

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas addresses the media in Brussels on March 16, 2026. (NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP)

EU countries can reach an agreement on sanctions against violent settlers in the West Bank today, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says before a meeting of the bloc’s ministers of foreign affairs.

“I expect political agreement on the sanctions on violent settlers, hopefully we will get there,” Kallas says, adding that it is still not entirely clear the required unanimity will be found for the proposals. Hungary’s recent change of government may allow the measure to move forward.

Her statement comes amid a monthslong rise in extremist settler attacks in the territory.

In recent months, some EU members have pushed the bloc to suspend its association agreement with Israel or to sanction far-right cabinet ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.