There is deep disagreement both among EU member states and between different EU institutions about which sanctions should be imposed and, if so, how to proceed.
Sweden and several other countries are pushing to curb trade in Israel's illegal settlements and believe this can be done with the help of a majority in the EU. Others believe that unanimity is required.
"I am a lawyer myself, and they say that when there are two lawyers, there are three different opinions," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says laconically on her way to Monday's EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.
Any decision on the matter will likely be delayed until the next regular ministerial meeting, in October at the earliest.
