World

EU reaches 'political agreement' to sanction Israeli settlers: Borrell

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2024

EU reaches 'political agreement' to sanction Israeli settlers: Borrell

After weeks of disagreements, the European Union has reached a “political agreement” to sanction extremist Israeli settlers, says Josep Borrell.

The breakthrough occurred during a meeting of the bloc’s foreign affairs ministers on Monday, where the issue was put on the table to give diplomacy a new chance.

“We discussed about the sanctions (on) Hamas. And we agreed on sanctions on extremist settlers. It was not possible last Foreign Affairs Council. This time has been possible. A solid compromise has been agreed at the working level and I hope this will continue until full adoption soon,” the bloc’s foreign policy chief announced at the end of the meeting. “But the political agreement is there.”

The sanctions have been in the works for months and were initially held up by a handful of countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria, who are among the bloc’s staunchest supporters of Israel.

But the devastation wrought across the Gaza Strip and the continued reports of violence perpetrated by Israeli nationals against Palestinians injected a sense of urgency into the talks, which further deepened after the United States, the United Kingdom and France went ahead and sanctioned a handful of extremist settlers.

The final roadblock was Hungary, which, according to diplomats, communicated last week that it would lift the opposition, raising hopes for a breakthrough on Monday.

The political agreement still requires a final adoption by ambassadors before entering into force. Settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law and are considered a major obstacle to achieving a durable peace under the two-state solution.

The sanctions are “about specific people who have been identified as responsible for violent acts,” Borrell told reporters, confirming the restrictions will consist of a travel ban and the freezing of assets owned in EU territory. “What else can we do? We always sanction individuals and organisations in the same way.”

Asked about the names of the blacklisted settlers, Borrell added: “Like the Quixote would say, I don’t want to remember.”

The decision was part of a careful diplomatic choreography to coincide with fresh sanctions against Hamas, which the bloc considers a terrorist organisation.

In reaction to the attacks of 7 October, which killed over 1,100 civilians in Israel, the EU established a dedicated sanctions regime to target any individual or entity suspected of supporting, materially or financially, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

Six financiers were added to the blacklist on 19 January.

‘Open-air graveyard’

Monday’s meeting of foreign affairs ministers took place as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released a new report showcasing the extreme gravity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 31,000 people have been killed since the start of the Israeli offensive.

According to the IPC, “the entire population in the Gaza Strip (2.23 million) is facing high levels of acute food insecurity,” with half the population under the category of catastrophe. In the northern section of the enclave, famine is “imminent.”

The military conflict, the scarcity of humanitarian aid and the limited access to food supplies, healthcare, water and sanitation are all factors behind the deterioration.

“The escalation of hostilities has caused widespread damage to assets and infrastructure indispensable to survival. About 50 percent of buildings – and more than 70 percent in the northern governorates – have been damaged or destroyed,” the report says.

Before heading into the meeting, Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, painted a grim picture of the situation on the ground.

“Gaza was before the war the greatest open-air prison. Today it is the greatest open-air graveyard. A graveyard for tens of thousands of people, and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian law,” Borrell told reporters.

Borrell also said he would propose a “political orientation debate” about the future of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has been in force since 2000. Last month, Spain and Ireland, two of the bloc’s most critical voices against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, joined forces and called for an “urgent review” of the agreement.

But during the ministerial meeting, at least six member states came against the review: Germany, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Hungary, several diplomats told Euronews, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Borrell admitted convening a formal Association Council with Israel would be “certainly complicated” and lacked “strong support.” A more practical idea would be to invite Israel’s foreign affairs minister, Israel Katz, to the next meeting in Brussels.

The invitation, Borrell added, should also be extended to the new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Mustafa.

This article has been updated with more information.

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World

Investors brace for a bigger backlash from Middle East war

Published

3 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Investors brace for a bigger backlash from Middle East war

From being just a fringe risk, conflict in the Middle East has become a top worry for investors unsettled by the prospect of a power struggle in Iran and a protracted regional war, with ramifications for everything from global trade to inflation.

World

Tel Aviv analyst shelters from 30 missile sirens in 48 hours, says Iran ‘won’t recover’

Published

4 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Tel Aviv analyst shelters from 30 missile sirens in 48 hours, says Iran ‘won’t recover’

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The past 48 hours in Tel Aviv have been unlike anything seen before, a leading security analyst has said, as sirens blared amid missile threats following Operation Epic Fury and U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran.

“We are facing a biblical event — nothing less,” Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital, speaking from his shelter in the city.

Like many Israelis, Michael said he had spent hours in reinforced rooms during the ongoing barrage, adding that he was “very experienced in this.”

“But this all requires time and determination, and I do hope that Trump will also have them both,” he said, speaking shortly after the president released a video message stating that the military operation would continue “until all of our objectives are achieved.”

Explosions from projectile interceptions by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system over Tel Aviv. (JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

“Trump is the only one who can make the change — and that change will impact the entire region and the international order for years to come,” Michael added.

As of Sunday, Tel Aviv remained under a state of emergency following Iranian missile attacks that caused casualties and widespread damage.

According to The Associated Press, Iranian missile and drone strikes have killed approximately 11 Israeli civilians and wounded dozens more in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.

Shrapnel from missile impacts damaged at least 40 buildings in Tel Aviv, and authorities reported at least one death in the area from falling debris.

The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed the death of a Filipino national after a missile strike hit Tel Aviv on Saturday.

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

People take shelter as Iran launched missiles and drones towards Israel following the US-Israeli attacks. ( Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“We enter our shelter once the siren is heard and stay there until the Home Front Command announces that we can leave,” Michael said.

“Usually, it is about 20 to 30 minutes — unless there are further sirens during our stay. Since yesterday morning, it has happened around 30 times.”

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also visited an impact site in Tel Aviv Sunday, delivering a message of resilience.

“The people of Israel and the people of Iran can live in peace. The region can live in peace. But what undermines peace time and again is terror instigated by this Iranian regime,” Herzog said.

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK ‘BEGINNING OF THE VERY END’ FOR REGIME

Israeli emergency service officer walks past building debris at the scene of a Iranian missile attack. (Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP via Getty Images)

Following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, Iran formed a provisional leadership council.

Iran named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to lead roles.

“The Supreme Leader did not complete the necessary groundwork regarding his own succession,” Michael added.

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“Pezeshkian will face very troubling challenges due to their heavy losses, severe disruptions to control and command systems, and the massive bombing and attacks across Iran, including Tehran,” he said.

“Even if this regime doesn’t collapse, it will never be able to reconstitute itself, recover or return to its previous position,” Michael added.

Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.

World

Israel FM says Europe too divided, slams Spanish PM

Published

6 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Israel FM says Europe too divided, slams Spanish PM

Israeli minister Gideon Sa’ar said Europe “does not have unified position” on what role it should play in Iran as European ministers sought to establish a joint approach Sunday.

As Israel and the United States conducted a joint military strike on Iran, leading to the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Europe was kept on the sidelines.

EU member states did not participate in the operation and, in some cases, they were not informed prior as it is customary among strategic allies.

Asked whether Israel sought to keep Europe on the margins, Sa’ar said internal divisions within EU member states had kept them out of critical exchanges of operational details, unlike the United States, which the minister described as his country’s greatest ally.

“In Europe, you have all kinds of approaches,” he told Euronews. “You have countries like the Czech Republic which is strongly supporting this operation and then you have Spain, which is standing with all the tyrants of the world.”

On Saturday, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez was among the most critical voices in Europe, suggesting the US-Israeli strikes on Iran risk plunging the region into total war.

“We reject the unilateral military action of the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order,” Sánchez said Saturday. The Spanish PM reiterated that message on Sunday.

“We urge for de-escalation and call to respect international law in all conflicts,” Sánchez added. “You can be against a heinous regime, like the Iranian regime, while also rejecting a military intervention that is unjustified, dangerous and outside of international law.”

Sa’aar said Israel considers the operation “fully justified” citing the right to self-defense from a regime that “has called for the destruction of Israel” and lashed at the Spanish prime minister for sending an “anti-Israeli, anti-American message.”

“Read the statement, they are standing with Iran!” he added.

When asked if any of his European counterparts had manifested an interest in joining the military operation or provide support on the ground, Sa’ar said he held multiple exchanges with European ministers over the weekend and suggested that “if others want to join, they will know have to convey the message.”

On Sunday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appeared to back regime change in Iran in line with Israel and the US, saying that the “risk of further escalation is real. This is why a credible transition in Iran is urgently needed” in comments on Sunday.

Sa’ar told Euronews said the strategic strikes and the elimination of Khamenei alongside top regime commanders could “create the conditions to weaken the regime enough to allow the Iranians to take their future into their own hands”.

“The future leadership of Iran should be determined by the Iranian people through free elections. Our only requirement is that whoever comes to power in Iran must not pursue the destruction of Israel,” he said.

Watch the full interview on Euronews from 8pm CET