Ministers prepare fresh penalties against violent settlers as EU ambassador signals trade leverage limits.
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EU ministers are set to agree Monday on new sanctions targeting violent West Bank settlers, according to EurActiv. The move marks Europe's continued pressure on settlement expansion despite diplomatic constraints.
An EU ambassador told reporters that "we cannot use trade sanctions as leverage against Israel," signalling the bloc's limited economic tools in Middle East disputes. The comment reflects tension between EU foreign policy aims and reluctance to impose broad measures against Israel.
The sanctions target individuals and entities involved in settler violence against Palestinians. They represent one of the EU's few unilateral policy levers on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as broader economic measures face political resistance from member states and external partners.