The European Union is considering a move to block violent Israeli settlers from entering European Union countries.

A report earlier this year by the consuls general in East Jerusalem and Ramallah asked officials in Brussels to draw up a blacklist of “known violent settlers” who could be forbidden to enter the 27 EU states.

Subsequently, the EU panel which oversees relations with the Middle East, known as the Maghreb-Mashreq committee (MaMa), submitted recommendations to the diplomatic-security committee in October.

According to a Ha’aretz report this week, the MaMa document said: "If settler violence is not dealt with preventively, it will increasingly obstruct efforts by both parties for solving the conflict."

It suggested that member states "explore the possibilities of denying access of known violent settlers to the EU."

No final decisions have been made.

According to a United Nations report on Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, the weekly average of settler attacks resulting in Palestinian casualties and property increased by 32 per cent in 2011 from 2010.