France threatens new sanctions against West Bank settlers

PARIS

France is considering extending sanctions on Israeli settlers behind violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, President Emmanuel Macron's office said he spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II.

The two leaders "firmly condemned recent Israeli announcements about settlements" in the West Bank, "which are contrary to international law," Macron's office said in a statement.

At least 488 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers in the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Palestinian officials.

In February, 28 "extremist Israeli settlers" were banned from entering French territory. Last week the European Union imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers and two settler organizations for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Since the start of the year, Israeli authorities have declared nearly 1,100 hectares (2,720 acres) of the West Bank to be "state land" - twice as much as in the previous record year in 1999, according to the settlement watchdog Peace Now.

Macron and King Abdullah also spoke about the "catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza" and expressed "great concern about the perspective of an Israeli offensive on Rafah, where more than 1.5 million people are seeking refuge, and reiterated their opposition to such an operation," the statement said.