France warns of new sanctions on Israeli settlers over West Bank violence

A fresh round of penalties against violent Israeli settlers may be imminent, according to France’s foreign minister on Monday.

Jean-Noel Barrot told the Paris Peace Forum, “We played a key role in establishing the (EU) sanctions regime that has already been activated twice and may be activated a third time soon.”

“We are deeply attached to the security of Israel,” Barrot said, but “in the interest of Israel, of Israeli security, international law needs to be respected and justice needs to be reached”.

During a visit to the West Bank on Thursday, Barrot had already threatened a new round of sanctions, and renewed France’s commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Settlement activities “threaten the political perspective that can ensure durable peace for Israel and Palestine”, he said after talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.

The United States, Britain, Canada and Australia have also imposed sanctions against extremist settlers.

The EU’s foreign affairs commissioner, Josep Borrell, said in August that Israeli settlers were endangering “any chance of peace” and called on the Israeli government to “stop these unacceptable actions immediately”.

Sanctions would also be aimed at the “enablers” of violent settler actions, “including some Israeli government members”, Borrell said.

Over 700 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli troops and settlers in the last year, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.

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With inputs from agencies.