EU may struggle to sanction violent Israeli settlers - Luxembourg's Bettel

In an interview with Reuters in Brussels, Bettel recalled that the European Union leaders argued for hours about even small differences in language when it came to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "So having sanctions against settlers might be difficult," he said, while making clear he favoured such measures.

The European Union may struggle to reach agreement on a push by some member states to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers responsible for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said. In an interview with Reuters in Brussels, Bettel recalled that the European Union leaders argued for hours about even small differences in language when it came to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"So having sanctions against settlers might be difficult," he said, while making clear he favoured such measures. "It is important that impunity cannot be accepted and violent settlers have to be punished and if they (Israeli authorities) don't do it, we need to do it."