La UE acuerda sancionar a colonos israelíes por sus ataques contra palestinos – elDiario.es

European Union foreign ministers reached a political agreement on Monday, May 11, 2026, to impose sanctions on violent Israeli settlers. The decision follows months of internal deadlock within the bloc regarding how to respond to continued violence against Palestinian citizens.

The move to penalize settlers and illegal settlements was previously obstructed by the Hungarian government under ultranationalist Viktor Orbán. However, Orbán lost the elections approximately one month prior to the agreement, removing a primary veto that had stalled the initiative. Reporting from RTVE.es and elDiario.es indicates that Germany and Italy had also previously maintained reluctant positions on the matter.

EU Diplomatic Response

Kaja Kallas, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, announced the decision via the social network X, stating that the ministers had given the green light to sanction settlers due to their violence against Palestinians.

“It was time to move from blockage to action. Extremisms and violence have consequences.”

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs

The European Union’s decision comes in the context of the genocide in Gaza, where ceasefires have been repeatedly violated by Israel. The bloc’s action is a response to tens of thousands of deaths resulting from Israeli Army attacks, as well as sustained abuses and violence committed by settlers against Palestinians.

Trade and Economic Disagreements

While the ministers agreed on sanctions against individuals and settlements, they failed to reach a consensus on economic penalties related to trade. Kallas noted that there was no agreement to penalize the trade of products originating from illegal Israeli settlements.

Further diplomatic tension exists regarding the broader economic relationship between the EU and Israel. José Manuel Albares, the Foreign Minister of Spain, has called for the EU to vote on the suspension of the existing trade pact with Israel.

Despite the request from Spain, officials in Brussels have asserted that there is currently not a sufficient majority among member states to move forward with the suspension of the trade agreement.

In addition to the sanctions against settlers, the EU has also approved sanctions against prominent leaders of the Palestinian organization Hamas.