Head of EU Parliament Opposes Labeling Israeli Products
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 | Yossi Aloni
ISRAEL TODAY
The European Union’s publishing of official guidelines on the labeling of Israeli “settler” products was met with praise and approval by the Palestinian Authority, America and most European governments.
But it was categorically rejected by the president of the EU Parliament, Martin Schulz.
The labeling fiasco is aimed at harming Israeli businesses situated in the so-called “West Bank” and the Golan Heights in order to drive the Jews out of those territories claimed by the Palestinians and Syrians, respectively.
Schulz, however, recognized who the true victims of the policy would be.
“I oppose labeling products from the territories. It will mainly hurt the Palestinians, who make an honest living there,” noted the German politician, referencing the fact that the Israeli businesses in question employ thousands of Palestinian Arabs.
Schulz’s remarks were made during a meeting in Berlin with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, who added, “Israel will survive the labeling of products. Those who will not survive are the thousands of Palestinian families who work shoulder to shoulder with their Jewish friends and have a shared life there. It will hurt their economy, their lives and their families, and it will destroy the seeds of peace that exist in those employment zones.”
Edelstein cynically wondered to whom Europe would have him surrender the Golan, assuming he was willing to do so. “Just tell me, to whom? To Syria? To ISIS?”
Nor was Schulz alone among Europe’s elite in opposing the labeling of Israeli products.
Earlier this month, some 200 EU officials, diplomats, parliamentarians and NATO representatives welcomed in the New Year at a party featuring Israeli “settler” products.
In toasting the New Year, Israeli Ambassador to the EU David Walzer and his guests raised glasses filled with wine from the Golan Heights, before digging in to Israeli foods like falafel and being entertained by an Israeli DJ.
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