EU imposes new sanctions on individuals, organizations over Jewish settler violence in Judea and Samaria

European Union foreign ministers on Monday agreed to impose new sanctions on Israeli settlers in Judea and Samaria, along with several Hamas figures, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas announced. 

“EU Foreign Ministers just gave the go-ahead to sanction Israeli settlers over violence against Palestinians,” Kallas wrote in a post to her 𝕏 account. “They also agreed new sanctions on leading Hamas figures.” 

“It was high time we moved from deadlock to delivery,” Kallas said. “Extremisms and violence carry consequences.” 

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot wrote to his 𝕏 account, “It’s done. The European Union is sanctioning today the main Israeli organizations guilty of supporting the extremist and violent colonization of the West Bank, as well as their leaders.” 

Regarding the sanctioning of Hamas leaders, Barrot said that Hamas is a "terrorist movement that must imperatively be disarmed and excluded from any participation in the future of Palestine.” 

The EU previously imposed sanctions for settler violence in 2024, but further attempts at punitive measures were blocked by Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The newly announced sanctions target three individual settlers and four settler organizations, Reuters reported, noting that the identities of the individuals have not been disclosed. 

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar protested the EU foreign ministers' decision as “arbitrary.” 

“Israel firmly rejects the decision to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and organizations,” Sa’ar wrote on 𝕏. “The European Union has chosen, in an arbitrary and political manner, to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and entities because of their political views and without any basis.” 

Israel firmly rejects the decision to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and organizations.

The European Union has chosen, in an arbitrary and political manner, to impose sanctions on Israeli citizens and entities because of their political views and without any basis.…

— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) May 11, 2026

“Equally outrageous is the unacceptable comparison the European Union has chosen to make between Israeli citizens and Hamas terrorists,” Sa’ar continued. “This is a completely distorted moral equivalence.” 

He also reaffirmed the right of the Jewish people to settle in their historic homeland, calling it “a moral and historical right that has also been recognized by the law of nations.” 

The Foreign Ministry questioned the failure to announce the names of the individuals or organizations being sanctioned. 

“Oddly enough, to this very moment the European Union has still not officially and transparently published the list of Israeli individuals and organizations it decided to sanction,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Information circulating through diplomatic channels indicates that the sanctions list (the contents of which have also not been disclosed) includes individuals and organizations that have no connection whatsoever to violence or criminal activity.” 

The Israeli settler watchdog group Peace Now said the organizations expected to face sanctions include the pro-settler movement Regavim and its director, Meir Deutsch; the settlement support organization HaShomer Yosh (“Guardian of Judea and Samaria”) and its former chief, Avichai Suissa; and Nachala, which supports young settlers establishing new – and often illegal – settlements, along with its leader, Daniella Weiss.

The list also includes the Amana settler movement, which, according to a 2017 investigation by Haaretz, engaged in fraudulent land purchases through a subsidiary. Amana rejected the allegations.

On hearing that it was to be included in the sanctions list, Regavim posted a statement in Hebrew to 𝕏, saying, “This is an honor for us that the European Union has chosen to include us on the esteemed list of defenders of the land.” 

The organization also accused the EU of funding projects in Judea and Samaria, some of which are also built without legal permits, as being “in violation of the law and international agreements.” 

“For two decades, we have exposed the enormous funding that the European Union invests in establishing a Palestinian terrorist state, in violation of the law and international agreements, while channeling millions for illegal construction on the national lands of the Jewish people and supporting organizations that aid terrorism,” Regavim said. 

However, The Jerusalem Post listed a different set of organizations and individuals than that provided by Peace Now. According to the report in the Post, the organizations to be sanctioned include Amana; HaShomer Yosh; Lehava, run by extremist Bentzi Gopstein; and the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva in the settlement of Yitzhar. 

The Post also claimed that the settlers Meir Ettinger, Elisha Yered, Zohar Sabah, and activist Baruch Marzel, would be targeted for sanctions. 

At the same time, the Palestinian Authority recently announced that it would launch a program to support Palestinians affected by settler violence in the disputed territories. 

“In coordination with the government, the European Union will launch a program to support victims of settler terrorism,” Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa announced in a statement. 

Israeli activists attacked the EU for levying sanctions against settlers for violent incidents, while failing to honor its commitment to defund the Palestinian Authority over incitement to violence in Palestinian textbooks.