On 28 May 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted significant restrictive measures targeting extremist Israeli settlers and organisations. These actions, taken under the EU's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, are a direct response to systematic human rights abuses committed against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The sanctioned parties are accused of violating fundamental rights, including the rights to physical integrity, private property, freedom of religion, and education.
Targeted individuals and organisations
The designations focus on four entities and three individuals identified as key drivers of instability and violence in the region.
The Nachala Settlement Movement and its director, Daniella Weiss, were listed for promoting coercive acts that lead to the forced displacement of Palestinians. Their outposts are cited as persistent sources of settler violence that obstruct access to vital agricultural and grazing land.
The Israeli non-governmental organisation Regavim, alongside its director, Meir Deutsch, was sanctioned for its efforts to expand Israeli control across the West Bank through the systematic lobbying the demolition of Palestinian properties. The Council specifically highlighted the organisation's role in the destruction of an EU-funded Palestinian primary school located in Jabbet al Dhib.
The NGO Hashomer Yosh and its president, Avichai Suissa, were also designated. The organisation is accused of coordinating armed volunteers and providing material support to at least 28 violent outposts. The Council holds Suissa responsible for facilitating human rights abuses and supporting outposts linked to other sanctioned individuals.
Finally, the Amana cooperative association, linked to the Gush Emunim movement, was listed for its central role in initiating and financing at least 30 violent outposts. These actions have resulted in the widespread displacement of vulnerable Palestinian communities and the dispossession of their land and property.
Scope of restrictive measures
The newly adopted sanctions mandate an immediate asset freeze, prohibiting any individual or entity from making funds or economic resources available to the designated parties, whether directly or indirectly. Furthermore, the three named individuals face a formal travel ban within the European Union.
This latest action expands the reach of the EU's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, which now encompasses 136 natural and legal persons and 41 entities from across the globe. Detailed legal documentation regarding these measures has been officially published in the Official Journal of the European Union.