France coordinates national sanctions with allies to pressure Israel over West Bank violence

France is collaborating with a group of European and other allied states to develop coordinated national sanctions aimed at individuals associated with violence in the West Bank, diplomats said. The proposed measures would include asset freezes and travel bans, though the exact lists of targets may differ between countries.

The initiative follows a deadlock within the European Union over adopting stricter actions against Israel, prompting some members to pursue national-level steps. > "There is no unanimity at the EU level, so we have moved to discussions at the national level," one diplomat said.

Britain and Norway were identified as among the partners working with France, while other potential participants were not disclosed. The announcement of the sanctions is expected in the coming days.

The move comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where extremist settler activity has increased and settlement expansion projects, such as the E1 plan east of Jerusalem, are proceeding. A French diplomatic source said additional measures could follow if the situation escalates.

France will host a civil‑society and ministerial meeting on June 12 in Paris, bringing together Israeli and Palestinian groups and roughly a dozen foreign ministers, to keep the issue on the international agenda while other regional conflicts draw attention away from the Israeli‑Palestinian dispute.