Activists Seek Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlers

The Israeli settlements may be small in number, but they’re a major obstacle in securing an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement. The EU regards them as illegal under international law, but does little to enforce rules that ban goods from the settlements or ending trade that allows the settlements flout international law. “The EU also continues to tolerate products from the settlements being sold in stores under the label ‘Made in Israel,’” reports Christoph Sydow for Spiegel Online, noting that the UK and Denmark have passed regulations requiring accurate labels. “Products coming from the Israeli settlements are competitive on the global market partially because of the massive state assistance farmers and producers in the occupied territories receive.” Palestinian goods are subject to many checks and regulations that make Palestine an unreliable supplier, Sydow notes. Meanwhile, the EU also provides massive support to Palestinians, and he concludes that “the EU is essentially making a mockery of its own foreign and development policy.” – YaleGlobal