Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has publicly backed the imposition of sanctions on Israeli settlers and politician Itamar Ben Gvir ahead of an upcoming European Council meeting. This move aligns Italy with broader European Union efforts to pressure Israeli settlement activities, which are contentious in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu and Ben Gvir, oppose these sanctions, framing them as unjust interference. The dispute highlights tensions between EU member states and Israel over settlement policies and the appropriate diplomatic response.

The European Council is set to discuss these sanctions, marking a significant diplomatic moment with implications for EU-Israel relations.