In a significant move against Israelis involved in the recent wave of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Germany is advocating for the European Union to explore sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers.
Sebastian Fischer, a spokesman for the German foreign ministry, conveyed this stance on Wednesday, emphasizing the importance of initiating concrete measures at the European level.
This development follows the United States’ decision on Tuesday to deny visas for extremist Israeli settlers as a response to the escalating violence since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
Sebastian Fischer welcomed the US decision, characterizing it as a tangible step through entry restrictions.
The German foreign ministry spokesman asserted the need to advance this debate within the European Union, stating that Berlin is actively participating in discussions leading up to a meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for Monday in Brussels.
The call for sanctions gained momentum in early November when Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo urged the EU to contemplate barring “extremist” Israelis advocating violence against Palestinians from entering Europe.
The violence erupted when Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from Gaza on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of around 240 hostages, as reported by Israeli officials.
In response, Israel pledged to dismantle Hamas, undertaking air strikes and a ground offensive that claimed the lives of over 16,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, according to the health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas.
Despite Hamas not having control over the West Bank, Israeli soldiers and settlers have been implicated in the killing of around 250 Palestinians in the region since 7 October, according to Palestinian authorities.
The German push for EU sanctions reflects a growing international concern over the ongoing conflict and seeks to address the actions of specific individuals contributing to the violence.
