European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas said she expects EU foreign ministers to back additional sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
"I expect political agreement on the sanctions of violent settlers. Hopefully, we'll get there," Kallas said on Monday, as she arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Plans to sanction individuals and organizations involved in expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem with asset freezes and travel bans were on hold as Hungary, under former prime minister Viktor Orbán, had opposed the move.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that after the change of government in Budapest an agreement became possible.
Kallas, however, admitted that there was no sufficient consensus among EU countries for now to move forward with more far-reaching measures, as some capitals are calling for restricting trade of goods from Israeli settlements.
Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergar called for tariffs on such imports as well as for slapping sanctions on "Israeli ministers that are driving these settlements."
Stenergar said she hopes her proposal to impose tariffs on goods from settlements would reach sufficient backing, as it was a "middle way" between those calling for a trade ban and those who oppose further measures.
German State Minister Gunther Krichbaum said Berlin is committed to continuing the dialogue with Israel and is "trying to influence the government and thus the region."
