Netanyahu Condemns Europe's Decision to Label Products from Illegal Settlements

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the European Parliament's decision to label products and goods produced in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, implicitly comparing it to the actions of the Nazi regime in the 1930s. On Thursday, September 19, the European Parliament decided that goods produced in the settlements of occupied territories should be labeled when placed in stores of EU member countries. 525 members of the European Parliament supported this decision, while 70 voted against it and 31 abstained. The aim of the European Parliament is to inform buyers that these products are made in occupied areas. The European Parliament, one of the three main institutions of the EU, had been considering this decision for a long time. The resolution states that agreements between EU member states and the Israeli government do not include the territories occupied since 1967. Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and Sinai Peninsula during the Six-Day War in 1967 but still retains control over the West Bank and Golan Heights. Approximately half a million Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, producing various goods in multiple workshops, which have been exported to Europe without hindrance for the past 48 years. According to the newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu, who recently visited Britain, responded to the European Parliament's decision by saying, 'They have distorted justice and logic.' He also stated, 'Our historical memory is sufficient to remember what happened the last time Jewish goods were labeled in Europe.' Emmanuel Nachshon, spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, described the European Parliament's decision as 'very serious.' Additionally, Tzipi Hotovely, Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, said that what Europe has done is the beginning of a boycott against Israel. Meanwhile, since the European Parliament's resolution is not yet an executive directive, the Israeli government is 'making strong efforts to prevent the implementation of this resolution.' The Palestinian-supporting movement known as BDS, which calls for a boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel, is expanding its activities in Britain and across Europe, urging residents of the continent to refrain from purchasing products labeled as produced in settlements. The success of the Palestinians in the European Parliament's decision coincides with the UN Security Council's agreement on the same day to raise the flag of 'the State of Palestine' at the UN. Simultaneously, for the first time, ministers of the Palestinian Authority held a joint meeting with members of the French government in Paris on Thursday; such a meeting has not occurred with a major Western country before. The Palestinians' consecutive successes in their political campaign against Israel come just before the UN General Assembly meeting and the speech of Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, at this event. Palestinians say their patience has run out after 22 years of establishing the Palestinian Authority to reach the stage of independence, and in the absence of peace talks, they are realizing their aspirations through international institutions and the UN. Meanwhile, Netanyahu claimed on Thursday during a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London that he is ready for 'immediate resumption' of peace talks with the Palestinians.