The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manual Albares, announced this Monday afternoon that Spain will sanction “violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank.” He did it after latest altercations in the area and the blockade exercised by Hungaryat the meeting of EU foreign ministers to establish punishment measures at the community level.

In the absence of polishing some legal issues, Albares explained that Foreign Affairs He is already preparing a “first list” with “dozens” of people who have carried out violent acts against Palestinians in the West Bank. “We are going to do individually what we would like to have been done at EU level,” he said.

Regarding the sanction, he has detailed that it will consist of the prohibition of entry into the country and it is the prerogative of the Government. Furthermore, he argued that they have been debating the issue for a long time and that “we cannot afford to wait any longer” because “the situation in Gaza is catastrophic and dramatic, but the situation in the West Bank is also very tense.” Given the situation, the Spanish representative has once again demanded a ceasefire.

“We wanted to add the maximum number of countries, we have been 26 and for one it has not been possible“Albares said in the subsequent press conference,” in reference to Hungary’s veto.

National initiatives

However, Spain is not the only country working on the issue. France already sanctioned 28 last week “extremist Israeli settlers” linked to violent incidents, while Belgium announced national measures last December.

Ireland also announced measures, and The United States has carried them out. In this way, national sanctions will be the way to overcome the blockade of Hungary, and until now also of the Czech Republic.