French Foreign Minister Says Sanctions Against Israeli Settlers May Be Expanded

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. (Wikimedia Commons/Aurore Martignoni/European Union 2026)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Sunday that Israeli settlers could face further sanctions in the coming days in protest at the increase in illegal settlements in the West Bank and a spike in violence by settlers against Palestinians.

The European Union imposed sanctions on Israeli settlers and organizations supporting them late last month.

Speaking to Public Senate television and RTL radio, Foreign Minister Barrot did not mention the European countries that he thought could impose further measures.

But referring to the EU's previous sanctions, he said: "We can go further, and in the coming days, further sanctions can be imposed," Al Arabiya reported from Reuters (7/6).

His remarks followed an escalation of violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and underscored anger in many Western countries at the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has expanded settlements.

Diplomats say the expansion is aimed at undermining the prospects of a Palestinian state.

Reuters reported on Saturday, citing European diplomats, that France was working with several countries to increase pressure on Israel by pushing for coordinated national sanctions targeting individuals linked to violence in the West Bank.

"I am very concerned about the increase in illegal settlement activity in the West Bank and the spike in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians," said Foreign Minister Barrot.

"This is why I have been pushing for sanctions to be imposed not only on those responsible for this violence, but also on entities, companies, and organizations in Israel that provide the means for these extremist settlers to expel Palestinians from their land, burn their crops, and destroy their public buildings," he said.

He said the previous steps were "a way to call on the Israeli government to face its responsibilities regarding this violence, which, in my view, also undermines the authority of the state to some extent."

It is known that the seven major Western countries on May 22 called on Israel to stop expanding settlements in the West Bank and curb the increasing violence of settlers.

"Over the past few months, the situation in the West Bank has significantly deteriorated," the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand said in a joint statement.