Israeli leader says EU should be ‘ashamed’ over labeling

“It’s about knocking us out with patriotism, presenting Israelis as victims of anti-semitism by Europeans to play to a public traumatised by recent knife attacks”, Eldar said.

In a stinging rebuke to Israel, the European Union insisted on Wed.in that a few goods produced on land seized within the 1967 war must be labeled “made in settlements”, a mandate in that added to Israel’s deep unease over a growing global boycott. “It’s wrong. Europe should be ashamed of itself”. It took an immoral decision.

The publication of the guidelines has been held back for years by Israeli and American pressure, said the Wall Street Journal, but had been agreed upon since 2012.

While the requirements are mandatory for fruits and vegetables, they are voluntary for prepackaged food products and industrial goods other than cosmetics, the NY Times reports.

The EU’s decision comes a day after London mayor Boris Johnson faced criticism from the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign aimed at ending Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories over comments he made during a trip to the Jewish state.

Netanyahu’s office also said he and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had discussed how to curb violence, improve living conditions in the West Bank and advance the diplomatic process. While Netanyahu has endorsed this “two-state solution”, critics say he has done little to promote it.

But the European Union authorities said it was their duty to inform and not mislead consumers about the geographic origin of products so that the buyers can make informed decisions.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) praised the measure, though considering it “insufficient”. “This is a technical issue, not a political stance”. If the Commission goes ahead on Wednesday, all 28 member states would have to apply labels. A total of 12 Israelis have been killed, mostly in stabbings, while 77 Palestinians, 50 of them said by Israel to be attackers, have died. It is however allowed to label as “made in Israel” wine bottled within the borders of 1967, even if it is produced with grapes cultivated in the territories, under the principles that provenance of the majority of added value prevails. A few 60 percent of the West Bank, including all Jewish settlements, is under full Israeli control, heavily constricting their hopes of developing an economy and building a state.“I highly appreciate what the European Union countries did on the products of the Israeli colonial settlements, ” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told a summit in Saudi Arabia.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked called the decision “anti-Israel and anti-Jewish”, and said she plans to look into possible legal action against the EU.

The green line refers to the boundaries specified in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between the armies of Israel and those of its neighbors after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Products from those areas will still be welcome on the European market, he said, but they must have an accurate indication of origin on them. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Democratic Sen.

“Product labeling will strengthen the radical elements advocating a boycott against Israel and denying Israel’s right to exist, contradicting positions that the European Union publicly opposes”, Nahshon said in a statement.

World Jewish Congress CEO Robert Singer noted that numerous companies that could be hurt by the labelling provide jobs for Palestinian workers. “Other states should follow the EU’s example”.

“We see that once again Israel is singled out for special treatment above all other nations of the world and this is clearly discriminatory and stands in stark contradistinction to the EU’s own mandate to be fair and free of prejudice”.