France and other countries discuss coordinated national sanctions over West Bank violence
How left and right are reading this
- Both agree
- Coordinated national sanctions are being assembled because EU unanimity failed, with governments treating West Bank violence as serious enough to warrant asset freezes and travel bans even if each country ultimately acts on its own list.
- They split on
- Whether the story is about using sanctions to impose accountability for settler violence and protect the possibility of a Palestinian state, or about sovereign governments stepping in when EU-level consensus cannot produce a common response.
The Facts
- France is working with several countries on coordinated national sanctions targeting individuals linked to violence in the West Bank.
- Diplomats said the proposed sanctions would include asset freezes and travel bans.
- The measures have not been finalized, and countries may adopt different lists of sanctioned individuals.
- Several countries turned to coordinated national measures because tougher action against Israel was blocked at the EU level by a lack of unanimity.
- Britain and Norway are among the countries involved in the discussions with France, according to diplomats.
- Diplomats said an announcement on the sanctions is expected in the coming days.
- The sanctions push comes amid escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
- Diplomats said the issue matters beyond the immediate sanctions debate because settlement expansion is seen by many Western governments as undermining prospects for a Palestinian state.
Context
Why are countries pursuing national sanctions instead of an EU-wide measure?
Diplomats said efforts to advance tougher measures at the European Union level were blocked because there was no unanimity among member states, so some governments shifted to coordinated action at the national level Times of Israel,All Israel News.
What kinds of sanctions are being discussed?
The measures under discussion include asset freezes and travel bans aimed at individuals linked to violence in the West Bank, though the final lists may differ from country to country U.S. News & World R…,bdnews24.com.
What is still unresolved?
Diplomats said the sanctions packages have not yet been finalized, and participating countries may not sanction exactly the same people even if they coordinate their announcements U.S. News & World R…,Middle East Eye.
Facts first. Then every angle.
The day’s biggest stories in one short brief — the facts everyone agrees on, then the competing values behind the headlines. Free in your inbox.
View all 23 sources
Wire services (3)
Independent coverage (20)
About these frames
See this differently than someone you know would? Two ways to keep it going.
The dial works on any URL — paste an article you read elsewhere this week.