November 11, 2015 — Brussels, Belgium
The AJC Transatlantic Institute is dismayed at the publication of the EU labeling guidelines of Israeli goods produced beyond the Green Line.
“We have long argued that settlement construction is not helpful for the peace process but neither are discriminatory policies against Israel,” said Daniel Schwammenthal, Director of the AJC Transatlantic Institute. “Today's decision will play into the hands of those determined to demonize the Jewish state; offend mainstream Israelis who favor territorial compromise and encourage maximalist Palestinian positions. Any economic repercussions will not be limited to Israel but also harm Palestinian livelihoods,” Schwammenthal said.
“Today's decision is not taking place within a political vacuum but against the background of persistent efforts by an extremist movement to boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) Israel, whose existence these activists reject,” said Schwammenthal. “This BDS movement will no doubt use these EU rules to intensify its shameful policy of picketing shops and intimidating consumers and business owners to outright ban Israeli settlement products as a first step in their strategy to boycott all Israeli goods. Given that the EU appears to have no equivalent measures relating to other disputed territories in the world, the BDS will claim this as their first major victory to discriminate against the Jewish State.”
“What's more, these EU guidelines will also stigmatize products from areas that will remain part of Israel under any conceivable peace deal. This is bound to strengthen Palestinian maximalist positions, which is obviously not helpful for successful peace talks," Schwammenthal said. “The new rules will even apply to products from the Golan Heights, a territory that has no connection to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and where with the disintegration of Syria and its descent into unspeakable barbarism, there isn't even a theoretical partner for peace. This move is thus bound to strike mainstream Israelis as removed from the harsh reality on the ground, weakening the EU's standing as a credible player in the region,” Schwammenthal said.
“Last but not least, any economic fallout from today's decision will not only hurt Israel but thousands of Palestinians who work in settlements, earning a multiple of what they would get paid by Palestinian employers. Shouldn't consumers be informed about this as well? Would peace and the Palestinian cause really be served if Palestinian workers lost critical jobs as a result of today's decision?” Schwammenthal asked. “Fact is that the blunt instrument of across-the-board labeling does unfortunately not do justice to the complexity of the conflict.”
