Last week, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France all announced an unprecedented set of sanctions on Israeli settlement activity. This comes amidst a deteriorating situation on the ground: settlement activity and violence against Palestinians in the West Bank are at historic highs, and Israel is moving toward construction in the E1 zone.
What do the new sanctions mean in the near term, and what are the longer-term diplomatic and economic implications of the trade bans? In the lead up to elections, how are Israelis across the political spectrum responding, and what are the potential impacts? What are Palestinian perspectives on this move? What is the calculus of various European states, and the prospects for further actions?
Join MEI for a webinar conversation to address these questions and more with Director of Peace Now’s Settlement Watch program Hagit Ofran; Founder and Director of the Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach Ibrahim Dalalsha; and MEI Senior Fellow Iulia Joja. The discussion will be moderated by Ambassador (ret.) Yael Lempert, MEI’s Vice President for Outreach.
Speaker Biographies
Hagit Ofran is the director of the Settlement Watch project, part of the Israeli Peace Now movement. Widely-recognized as Israel’s foremost expert on West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements, Hagit is responsible for monitoring and analyzing Israeli construction and planning of settlements in the West Bank.
Ibrahim Dalalsha is the Founder and Director, Horizon Center for Political Studies and Media Outreach. Prior to founding the Horizon Center, he served for two decades as the Senior Political Advisor at the US Consulate General in Jerusalem, advising US officials on the Peace Process, Palestinian politics, state development, and civil society.
Dr. Iulia Joja is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, where she focuses on European and Black Sea security, with particular attention to defense, strategic cultures, and transatlantic relations. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and George Washington University, teaching European affairs and security.
Ambassador (ret.) Yael Lempert (Moderator) joined MEI as the Vice President for Outreach in September 2025. Previously, Ambassador Lempert served for over 27 years as an American diplomat, including as the US Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from 2023 to 2025.
