US: EU product labeling is not a boycott of Israel

The European Union’s guidelines on consumer labels for Israeli products produced over the pre-1967 lines is not tantamount to a boycott of Israel, Edgar Vasquez, a State Department spokesman, told The Jerusalem Post.

 

“We do not believe that labeling the origin of products is equivalent to a boycott. And as you know, we do not consider settlements to be part of Israel. We do not view labeling the origin of products being from the settlements as a boycott of Israel,” Vasquez said.

 

The EU has also insisted that the measure is not a boycott of Israel and that their concern is the consumer’s right to know as well as compliance with EU legislation.

 

Israel has warned that such labels strengthen the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and other such extremist groups that want to stop shoppers from buying Israeli products all together.

 

The Foreign Ministry has explained that Israel is the only country, among 200 nations with territorial disputes, in which the EU has agreed to place consumer labels.

 

It has suspended diplomatic dialogue with the EU for a few weeks to protest the measure, which has been in the works since 2012.

 

Read More: US: EU product labeling is not a boycott of Israel – Israel News – Jerusalem Post