EU Sanctions Israeli Settlers After Hungary Lifts Veto

The European Union on May 11, 2026 placed travel bans and asset freezes on three Israeli settlers and four organizations it said were involved in violent attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The measures bar the named individuals from entering any EU member state and freeze assets they hold in European jurisdictions.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the package, describing the targets as responsible for serious human rights abuses in the West Bank. She said the sanctions include restrictions on entry and access to bank accounts, investments and other financial holdings within EU territories.

The package is the bloc’s third set of measures aimed at settler-related violence in roughly two years. In April 2024 the EU sanctioned four people and two entities, including the far-right group Lehava and the Hilltop Youth movement. A separate July 2024 round targeted individuals and groups accused of blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The sanctions required unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states. Hungary had repeatedly vetoed similar proposals under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. After Peter Magyar became prime minister, Budapest withdrew its objection, allowing the council to adopt the new measures following months of delay.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticized the action as arbitrary and said it singled out Israelis while ignoring Palestinian violence. Israeli officials continue to reject the EU’s long-standing position that settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.

The EU cited figures showing more than 230 Palestinian minors killed since October 2023, a statistic referenced by rights groups and several European governments when calling for accountability. EU officials did not release detailed evidence in public briefings, saying some material is part of confidential law enforcement and judicial cooperation.

The names of the four organizations included in the latest package were not made public. EU officials said the sanctions target people and networks directly implicated in violent incidents and related abuses, and that the lists can be adjusted or removed if new information becomes available.

The bloc said it intends to monitor compliance at the European level and to review the measures under established legal procedures. The decision follows long-standing tensions between the EU and Israel over settlement policy and reflects continued pressure from several member states and rights groups to hold individuals accountable for rights violations without imposing broader economic measures on the Israeli state.