Two Israeli ministers on Thursday attacked the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, over statements in which he called for sanctions to be imposed on Israeli ministers.

The attack came as the European Union was considering imposing sanctions on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Earlier on Thursday, Borrell said he had initiated measures to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers for "hate speech against Palestinians and proposals that contravene international law and constitute incitement to commit war crimes."

Borrell announced in recent days that the European Union should consider imposing sanctions on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich due to their statements calling for starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and preventing humanitarian aid from entering the Strip.

Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said in a post on the X platform on Thursday: “Josep Borrell, who transfers money to the Palestinian Authority (..) wants to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers who work to combat terrorism. Hypocrisy,” he said.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on the X platform: “Outgoing EU foreign minister Josep Borrell claims that the Israeli foreign minister is calling for the displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank. This is a blatant lie, just like his previous lie regarding my statements about Gaza, which he was forced to retract.”

Katz claimed that he "opposes the displacement of any residents from their homes."

Borrell said that Katz's statements regarding the forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank were "totally unacceptable."

Borrell's statements on Thursday came in response to Katz, who on Wednesday vowed to carry out "temporary evacuations" of Palestinians from the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm, where the Israeli army is launching a large-scale operation, considering the ongoing operation to be "a war in every sense of the word, and it must be won."

A decision to formally impose sanctions on Israeli ministers requires unanimity from EU member states.

Borrell's move comes within the framework of rejecting Israeli violations, especially in its war on the Gaza Strip and finally with the widespread escalation in the West Bank.