West Bank Sanctions
France and allies coordinate national sanctions against Israeli settlers over West Bank violence
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France is coordinating with several allies to apply coordinated national sanctions against Israeli citizens linked to settler violence in the occupied West Bank, using tools such as asset freezes and travel bans. The measures are not yet finalized and participating countries may maintain different target lists, reflecting continued difficulties reaching agreement on tougher sanctions through the EU. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said additional sanctions could be introduced within days, building on an earlier EU package that targeted some settlers and supporting groups. The diplomatic effort is driven by rising settler attacks and broader frustration in Western countries with settlement expansion, including plans such as the E1 project, which critics say undermines the possibility of a future Palestinian state. Israel has condemned the sanctions as politicized and lacking basis, while France says it has already taken steps over settlement activity and “settler violence” and may do more.
Key Points
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Foreign Minister Jean‑Noël Barrot told Public Senat and RTL that he would not name which countries might join, but said: “We could go further, and in the coming days, additional sanctions may be imposed.”
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One reason officials are keeping national-sactions discussions quiet is fear of blowback on enforcement: “Most countries avoid publicly discussing national sanctions for fear that potential targets could shift assets in advance.”
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The sanctions drive follows the EU’s May 11 decision, which EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed at the time, saying: “It was high time we move from deadlock to delivery.”
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Ahead of the planned further action, a group of seven Western nations—including France, Britain, Australia and Canada—accused Israel on May 22 of “aggravating tensions in the West Bank,” underscoring the broader diplomatic pressure behind the sanctions push.
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Israel’s response to the EU’s earlier sanctions included a direct criticism from Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who said the bloc had “chosen, in an arbitrary and political manner, to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and entities because of their political views and without any basis.”
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