The European Union has made no secret of its intention to single Israeli settlements out for economic discrimination by labeling Israeli products made in the West Bank. This week, this policy was approved and put in place despite Israel’s intense objection that to do so would unfairly discriminate against Israel’s manufacturers and advance the cause of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement.
The Israeli political Right and Left were united in condemning this decision as anti-Semitic and an eerie throw-back to the Holocaust when Jews in Europe were forced to identify themselves with a yellow star. Leaders in Israel said that labeling Israeli products made in the West Bank as settlement products is unjustified when the EU does not apply the same measures to 200 other territorial conflicts in the world.
Israel responded by suspending its diplomatic relations with the EU, and Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a staunch rebuke:
“The European Union’s decision is hypocritical and constitutes a double standard; it singles out Israel and not the 200 other conflicts around the world. The European Union has decided to label only Israel, and we are not prepared to accept the fact that Europe is labeling the side that is being attacked by terrorism. The Israeli economy is strong and will withstand this; those who will be hurt will be those Palestinians who work in Israeli factories. The European Union should be ashamed.”
