Gaza: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas announced that the Council of the European Union is actively discussing the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Israeli colonists in the occupied West Bank. These discussions are part of the EU's response to escalating settler acts of looting and land seizure, which have reached unprecedented levels.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Kallas addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg during a debate on the Middle East, highlighting the increasing violence perpetrated by colonists. She emphasized the EU Council's ongoing deliberations on a potential package of sanctions, which would follow three previous sanctions targeting extremist settlers. Kallas emphasized that holding perpetrators accountable is crucial in mitigating colonist violence.
Kallas further expressed concerns about the colonial settlement project known as 'E1' in occupied East Jerusalem, identifying it as a significant threat to the two-state solution. She urged the European Union and its international partners to persist in advocating for an end to land seizures and efforts to dominate Palestinian territory.
In addition to the West Bank situation, Kallas warned of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza as winter approaches, noting the risks of flooding and disease in densely populated displacement areas. She remarked that the ceasefire exists only in name, as violence and casualties continue unabated.
Barry Andrews, an Irish Member of the European Parliament, contributed to the debate by accusing Israel of making life untenable for Palestinians in the West Bank. He cited actions such as cutting off water supplies, carrying out ethnic cleansing, and demolishing villages with bulldozers. Andrews argued that prohibiting trade with illegal settlements is a necessary measure to address these issues.