BRUSSELS, March 25(Imran Saqib/Correspondent LP) – European lawmakers are demanding stronger action against Israeli settlers after Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal was violently assaulted and arrested in the West Bank yesterday.
The director of “No Other Land,” which documents Palestinian displacement, was attacked by masked settlers before being detained by Israeli forces – a pattern human rights groups say shows collusion between settlers and the military.
Key facts:
• Over 500,000 Israelis live in illegal West Bank settlements
• EU has sanctioned just 113 individuals and 31 entities
• 1,200+ Palestinian attacks by settlers since October 2023 (UN data)
• ICJ ruled occupation illegal in July 2024
“The EU’s token sanctions don’t match the scale of violence,” said Lynn Boylan (Sinn Féin), chair of the EU-Palestine delegation. “We’re seeing daily assaults while settlements expand.”
The attack comes amid growing criticism of EU policy:
• Ignored ICJ ruling on illegal occupation
• Maintained trade ties despite ICC arrest warrants
• Foreign chief Kallas recently praised EU-Israel relations
“This isn’t just about sanctions – it’s about whether the EU will enforce international law,” Boylan added.
The Left group is pushing for:
- Expanded settler sanctions
- Suspension of EU-Israel trade deal
- Arms embargo
With West Bank violence escalating, pressure is mounting for Brussels to move beyond statements to concrete action.
