Key facts
- France is coordinating with several countries to impose national sanctions on individuals linked to West Bank violence.
- The proposed sanctions may include asset freezes and travel bans.
- Britain and Norway are among the countries coordinating with France.
- National sanctions are being pursued due to a lack of EU consensus on tougher measures.
- The move addresses escalating Israeli settler violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank.
France is collaborating with several other countries to increase pressure on Israel by pursuing coordinated national sanctions against individuals involved in violence in the West Bank. These measures, which could encompass asset freezes and travel bans, are being considered because efforts to implement tougher sanctions at the European Union level have been unsuccessful. Diplomats indicated that the announcement of these national sanctions is expected in the coming days, with Britain and Norway being identified as partners in these discussions. The initiative reflects growing anger in Western nations over the escalating violence by Israeli settlers and the expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are seen as undermining the prospects for a Palestinian state. While specific lists of targeted individuals may vary by country, the collective action aims to address the situation in the absence of EU consensus. France is also set to host a meeting on June 12 in Paris involving Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups and foreign ministers to keep the issue on the international agenda.