The European Union unanimously approved sanctions against Israeli West Bank settler organizations and Hamas-affiliated figures on May 11, 2026, a move that would have been unthinkable just weeks ago. The diplomatic logjam that had persisted for years finally broke, and the reason has less to do with Brussels than with Budapest.
Hungary’s April 2026 elections swept Viktor Orbán from power after 16 years, installing Peter Magyar as the country’s new Prime Minister. Orbán, a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had repeatedly wielded Hungary’s veto to block EU sanctions targeting Israel. With that veto now gone, the bloc moved fast.
What the sanctions actually do
The package targets seven entities and individuals. Among the most prominent names: Amana, a settler organization that has been central to expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, and Daniella Weiss, a well-known settler leader.
The measures include asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions on financial transactions. Sanctioned individuals and organizations can no longer move money through European banks, travel to EU member states, or access any assets held within the bloc’s jurisdiction.
These are targeted, surgical sanctions. The EU stopped well short of broader economic measures like trade suspensions or diplomatic downgrades, due to ongoing divisions within the EU.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the actions of the sanctioned organizations as intolerable and called for an end to violence in the region. The EU’s foreign policy chief echoed that sentiment, stating that extremism carries consequences.
Why the Hungary angle changes everything
EU foreign policy decisions require unanimity, meaning a single country can block the entire bloc, and for years, that’s exactly what Hungary did.
Orbán’s relationship with Netanyahu was one of the most durable alliances in European politics. While most EU leaders grew increasingly critical of Israeli settlement expansion and military operations, Orbán consistently shielded Israel from collective European action.
The April 2026 Hungarian elections ended that dynamic overnight. Magyar’s inauguration, which took place shortly before the sanctions vote, removed the last structural barrier to EU action on the Israeli-Palestinian file.
The broader context
The sanctions arrive against a backdrop of escalating violence. In 2026, settler violence reached record levels, with 11 Palestinians killed.
The sanctions target Hamas-affiliated figures alongside settler organizations. By sanctioning actors on both sides of the conflict, the EU positions itself as evenhanded, making it harder for critics to frame the move as one-sided.
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