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France announces sanctions against Israeli settlers

The French government has anounced it is banning 28 'extremist' Israeli settlers from entering the country for what it said was perpetration of 'violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank'.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

France has declared a ban from entering the country against 28 Israelis settlers accused of attacking Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, reports BBC News.

The foreign ministry said it "firmly condemned" the "unacceptable violence".

The US and UK recently took similar action, each imposing restrictions on four Israelis.

On Monday France, Poland and Germany all announced that Israelis involved in West Bank attacks would be sanctioned. Violence there has surged since Hamas's attack in southern Israel on 7 October.

"These measures come as violence perpetrated by settlers against the Palestinian population has increased in recent months", the French foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Colonisation is illegal under international law and must stop," it added.

"Its continuation is incompatible with the creation of a viable Palestinian state, which is the only solution so that Israelis and Palestinians can live, side by side, in peace and security."

The statement said France would also be seeking sanctions at European level.

The individuals have not been named.

Read more of this report from BBC News.