Brussels: The European Union on Wednesday backed the labelling of products from Jewish colonies, in a move that Israel has warned will “harm the peace process” with the Palestinians.
At a meeting in Brussels, the European Commission, the EU’s powerful executive, said in a statement that it had “adopted this morning the interpretative notice on indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967”.
The notice is effectively a set of guidelines for labelling products from Jews-only colonies in the Occupied Territories and annexed east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, all occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War.
In a statement Wednesday, the regime’s foreign ministry said the EU has taken an “exceptional and discriminatory step” for what the ministry called “political reasons”.
It says the step was inspired by an international boycott movement against Israel and noted that it comes at a time when Israel is confronting a “wave of terrorism”.
The ministry also said the step “raises questions” about EU’s role in the region and could have implications on Israel’s relations with Europe. It adds the measure also will harden Palestinian positions and make it more difficult to resume peace talks.
The colonies are deemed illegal under international law.
Because of its longstanding opposition to the expansion of colonies the EU is now seeking to further differentiate its relations with Israel and with the colonies, fearing that a continued status quo would never push the Israeli regime into changes.
The first instructions are set to be for food and other industries, including potentially specifying the wording to be used on labels.
There was no immediate reaction from Israel, but Israel’s ambassador to the EU warned on Tuesday that there would be “implications” from the decision.
“Frankly this is extremely disappointing, it’s unacceptable, and it’s not going to be taken lightly in Israel, this will have implications,” said the envoy, David Walzer.
“We welcome EU contributions to the peace process — what comes tomorrow might force us to reconsider that, this cannot be described as business as usual or diplomatic disagreements,” he told journalists.
“This for us in Israel feels like we have been singled out for quasi sanctions using economic tools for punishment.”
Israel has mounted a long and vocal campaign against the labelling plan, which was first proposed in 2012.
On Tuesday Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz, a loyal ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the proposal was “disguised anti-semitism”.
Netanyahu meanwhile in September likened the labelling plan to what he said were similar labels placed on Jewish products in the Nazi era.
The measures will primarily cover fruit and vegetables from the area. The labelling should affect less than 1 per cent of all trade between the EU and Israel, which stands at some 30 billion euros (Dh118.32 billion). EU officials said that in Britain, where it is already in place, it has had no negative economic effect.
Israel, however, sees it as a political stigma that would push consumers away.
On some products, like fruit and vegetables, the labelling referring to colonies will be mandatory, while on others it will be voluntary.