MK: Israel to blame for EU labeling rules

Arutz Sheva ^ | 12/11/15 | Yaakov Levi

[Eleutheria5]

As Israeli politicians and organizations continue to rail against the European Union for its decision to label products made in Judea and Samaria, MK Stav Shaffir said that Israel - and especially the current government - had no one to blame but itself for the situation.

“The 'right wing' government in this country long ago sold the settlements down the river for a long list of benefits from the European Union,” Shaffir wrote on her Facebook page Thursday. “Israel has signed many agreements that exclude Judea and Samaria as entities within Israel.”

Shaffir was referring to scientific, economic, and academic agreements, treaties, arrangements and deals - dozens of which are signed annually - that delineate the parameters of trade and relations between governments, educational institutions, and private companies and organizations.

In general, the agreements include arrangements whereby products, research, or other things are transferred, sold, or bartered between Israel and European governments - with the agreements covering “Israel proper,” within the 1949 Armistice Lines.

Thus, when ministers from France, Britain and other countries say they do not support a boycott of Israel, they are not being disingenuous – but are referring to the “Israel” referred to in the agreements, that do not include Judea and Samaria.

As such, said Shaffir, Israel has no cause to complain about the new EU labeling rules. “It is Israel itself that has signed on to these agreements that differentiate between sovereign Israel and the territories [Judea and Samaria]. It is not Hitler and not his acolyte the Mufti who signed these documents, but the leaders of Israel..."

[Eleutheria5]

I had expected just some left wing rant, but she has a point.

[SunkenCiv]

> “The ‘right wing’ government in this country long ago sold the settlements down the river for a long list of benefits from the European Union,” Shaffir wrote on her Facebook page Thursday. “Israel has signed many agreements that exclude Judea and Samaria as entities within Israel.”

The difference between left and right is, the left would have liquidated the whole thing by now.

[Eleutheria5]

So long as they got to head the Judenrat.

[SJackson]

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She does have a point. I'm not aware of the specifics of the agreements she refers to, but Israel should discontinue signing them, presuming she's correct regarding the number. And Israel should design an appropriate label should the move go through, perhaps a Star of David on a yellow background to remember Europe's history. Mandatory country labeling for EU products would make sense too, perhaps even city labeling. Related threads

Israel suspends meetings with EU over 'settlement' labeling

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Eleutheria5.