Denmark open to sanctioning Israeli minister over West Bank settlements

Denmark is prepared to sanction Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, signaling a firmer stance on Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced the government's openness to sanctions, stating that Ben-Gvir "clearly leads these illegal settlements and promotes them."

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From the Danish side, we are open to sanctioning Ben-Gvir, the minister who clearly leads these illegal settlements and promotes them.

The Danish government intends to be more proactive on this agenda than its predecessor. Rasmussen indicated that he has reached out to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to encourage concrete proposals from the EU's foreign service and the European Commission. He sees a potential for increased unity within the EU following a change of government in Hungary, which had previously obstructed similar actions.

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I have reached out to Kaja Kallas (EU's foreign policy chief) ahead of that meeting to try to get her, meaning the foreign service and the European Commission, to come up with some concrete proposals.

Several European nations, including France, Britain, Norway, and Canada, have announced coordinated sanctions against Israeli networks involved in violent acts on the West Bank. These measures are aligned with similar actions by Australia and New Zealand. Rasmussen will attend an upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss the situation on the West Bank, aiming to present a more unified European voice on the matter.

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In continuation of the previous government's line, which has been that Europe has the greatest influence if we speak with the same voice, the new Danish government's position is that we must try to elicit a clearer voice in Europe.