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[DiipuSurotu]

The European Commission has issued new guidelines for the labelling of some products made in Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian and Syrian land.

Agricultural produce and cosmetics sold in EU member states must now have clear labels showing their place of origin.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the EU "should be ashamed of itself".

The EU considers settlements built on territories occupied by Israel in 1967 to be illegal under international law, but Israel disputes this position.

The EU says settlements constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict impossible.

Mr Netanyahu, who was in Washington on an official visit, called the decision "hypocritical and a double standard".

The Israeli foreign ministry has summoned the EU ambassador to Israel and said it would suspend diplomatic dialogue in the coming weeks.

What is the Commission's suggested wording?

For products from West Bank or the Golan Heights that originate from settlements, the expression "Israeli settlement" or equivalent needs to be added, in brackets, for example. So, "product from the Golan Heights (Israeli settlement)" or "product from West Bank (Israeli settlement)" could be used.

Products from the West Bank not originating from settlements could be labelled "product from Palestine" or "product from West Bank (Palestinian product)".

More at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34786607

Boycott me if old

 

[shinobi602]

Good, it's a start. A real step forward would be completely banning the products from import in the first place.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the EU "should be ashamed of itself".

Fuck off Bibi.

 

[justjohn]

Looks like they haven't got their iron grip on Europeans like they have with the Americans.

 

[Jeels]

They should ads illegally occupied to the front of that too.

 

[Uzzy]

Bibi hating the EU actually puts the EU in a very good light, for once.

 

[Matt_]

The EU doing whats right again

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Don't see an issue

 

[Stike]

Problem is, if you defend such a stance in Germany, you instantly get hit with the Nazi banhammer. "You're just antisemitic, admit it" etc. ._.

 

[SliceSabre]

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

 

[AstroNut325]

Fuck off Bibi.

Agreed. This is a good start.

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

Bibi hating the EU actually puts the EU in a very good light, for once.

For once?

 

[Walpurgis]

U.S. is looking real beta right now.

 

[Fusebox]

So are the French are allowed to talk about boycotting these products now?

 

[Coriolanus]

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

EU can do very little to nearly nothing as long as the US unconditionally backs Israel.

 

[CaptainMellow]

Boycott these criminals, decades of oppression on the Palestinians. There has always been Palestine, they've tried to convince people that Palestine never existed and that it has always been this state of Israel. Boycott them, and boycott any company that funds the state of Oppressors. We are all human, we cannot allow these tyrants treat Palestinians like their lives don't matter. In my eyes the Palestinians are the bravest people living on this planet, and we should be protecting the men, women and children.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

Actually, in an atmosphere where openly protesting Israeli products can be legally prosecuted as "anti antisemitic" (thanks, France), this allows people the choice to not buy goods produced in disputed territories. Not unlike conflict diamonds.

 

[SomedayTheFire]

Good. It's a start. Bibi should be ashamed of himself.

 

[freeofgreed]

Wow, honestly didn't expect a measure like this, but good on the EU. It's a small gesture but it's a start.

 

[dalin80]

I suppose having 'made from genocide' stamped on them instead would be a little too blunt.

 

[Frankfurter]

Bibi is such a fucking asshole :/

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Actually, in an atmosphere where openly protesting Israeli products can be legally prosecuted as "anti antisemitic" (thanks, France), this allows people the choice to not buy goods produced in disputed territories. Not unlike conflict diamonds.

Agreed. The conflict diamond analogy actually is a pretty good analogy.

 

[gutter_trash]

the US was also late to jump on boycotting South Africa when many Western Countries were already boycotting South Africa

so, eventually US will wake up, but really slowly

 

[Baron Doggystyle von Woof]

Bibi is such a fucking asshole :/

Yep, he is a true cunt. He is becoming a parody now.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

Good.

 

[AndyD]

Agreed. The conflict diamond analogy actually is a pretty good analogy.

Indeed. I like it as well.

 

[Chariot]

Bibi, we weren't ashamed when Kojima said we would, we am sure as hell won't be ashamed when you say it.

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

Bibi hating the EU actually puts the EU in a very good light, for once.

What? The EU is probably one of the greatest political accomplishments of mankind.

the US was also late to jump on boycotting South Africa when many Western Countries were already boycotting South Africa

so, eventually US will wake up, but really slowly

Don't worry. The price of oil is only going to get lower and the United States is continuing to pivot away from the Middle East. Soon we won't need Israel anymore.
And they'll find out that the United States doesn't have allies. It has interests.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

What? The EU is probably one of the greatest political accomplishments of mankind.

Except for how are totally failing at following the declaration of human rights and provide asylum to people in need

 

[Jag]

Boycott these criminals, decades of oppression on the Palestinians. There has always been Palestine, they've tried to convince people that Palestine never existed and that it has always been this state of Israel. Boycott them, and boycott any company that funds the state of Oppressors. We are all human, we cannot allow these tyrants treat Palestinians like their lives don't matter. In my eyes the Palestinians are the bravest people living on this planet, and we should be protecting the men, women and children.

Do you keep that in your clipboard to ctrl-V or type it out every time?

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

Except for how are totally failing at following the declaration of human rights and provide asylum to people in need

I think all things considered they are doing the best that can do with the refugee crisis. Germany especially. And as for human rights, I don't think there is hardly anywhere outside of the EU where they are held to a higher or even equal standard.

 

[Dai101]

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

When you have the US as your lapdog you can be sure no one gonna mess with you.

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

When you have the US as your lapdog you can be sure no one gonna mess with you.

I don't know why people continue to perpetuate this concept. The United States provides more military aid to many other Middle Eastern countries that to Israel, and Israel cannot make any military moves without our say-so. They are forced to sit back and watch the Iran deal occur and they can't do a thing about it. America more-or-less owns Israel.

I don't understand why people see that America is a global hegemonic power and then think a tiny country like Israel could direct its foreign policy.

 

[Acorn]

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

Guessing you're american. Look to your own govt for why nothing happens to Israel.

 

[Chariot]

I don't know why people continue to perpetuate this concept. The United States provides more military aid to many other Middle Eastern countries that to Israel, and Israel cannot make any military moves without our say-so. They are forced to sit back and watch the Iran deal occur and they can't do a thing about it. America more-or-less owns Israel.

I don't understand why people see that America is a global hegemonic power and then think a tiny country like Israel could direct its foreign policy.

Good. So you're taking responsibility for the israeli crimes against palestinians, the oppression of non-jewish israeli citizens, the killings of innocents, illegal settlements and others?

 

[hydrophilic attack]

I think all things considered they are doing the best that can do with the refugee crisis. Germany especially. And as for human rights, I don't think there is hardly anywhere outside of the EU where they are held to a higher or even equal standard.

Yes Germany, Sweden and Austria are doing all they fucking can together with several Mediterranean countries. Meanwhile, the rest look on, doing now nothing.

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

This may change things. It makes it easy to boycott wares from these areas. If enough people do that, it could have an effect.

 

[LUFTRAUSER]

Good. So you're taking responsibility for the israeli crimes against palestinians, the oppression of non-jewish israeli citizens, the killings of innocents, illegal settlements and others?

The American government obviously does not care about these externalities. We are enabling it but we aren't causing it.

I personally wish that it wasn't what it was but America needs a guaranteed staging area to penetrate into the Middle East.

However, as the EU grows in political power it will be harder for America to control global politics all by itself, so it might actually have to make some concessions.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Bibi, we weren't ashamed when Kojima said we would, we am sure as hell won't be ashamed when you say it.

Lmao

 

[Joni]

Always nice to see the Union be so smart. The more mad people like Bibi, Cameron and other idiots get, the more you know it is doing a good job.

 

[cheezcake]

The American government obviously does not care about these externalities. We are enabling it but we aren't causing it.

I personally wish that it wasn't what it was but America needs a guaranteed staging area to penetrate into the Middle East.

However, as the EU grows in political power it will be harder for America to control global politics all by itself, so it might actually have to make some concessions.

God this post is fucking scary

 

[SkeptiMism]

Good.

My cousin (who's a pretty hardcore Christian and very much in favor of Israel) posted about this shit on Facebook from Israel's viewpoint. Of course they go with the "they're discriminating! It's antisemitism!" view.

Here:
Official statement from Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the following pic:

I asked her how many of those areas regarding the territorial disputes produce something onto which the conqueror puts their label "made in this country", and how many of those conquests does the EU consider illegal.

Got no answer.

 

[TheKingOfPain]

I read it in the news a couple of days ago, it feels good.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the EU "should be ashamed of itself".

Is Israel ashamed of itself looking back on Sabra and Shatila?

Netanyahu is an idiot, a hypocrite and plays the victim card so often he's gone beyond ridiculous.

 

[numble]

I don't know why people continue to perpetuate this concept. The United States provides more military aid to many other Middle Eastern countries that to Israel, and Israel cannot make any military moves without our say-so. They are forced to sit back and watch the Iran deal occur and they can't do a thing about it. America more-or-less owns Israel.

I don't understand why people see that America is a global hegemonic power and then think a tiny country like Israel could direct its foreign policy.

Can you list the Middle Eastern countries that receive more military aid than Israel? The aid to Egypt was a condition of Egypt signing a treaty with Israel, so that should be added to the amounts considered Israeli aid.

 

[KurtSloane]

Typical European gesture that means nothing, solves nothing and changes nothing. But I guess it feels good to give yourself a pat on the back sometimes rather than actually doing something to solve the problem.

As opposed to?

 

[abbyabs]

Nothing but token effort from EU Israel is still one of biggest trade partners, they will still trade and ignore the illegal settlements & apartheid.

 

[Kill Your Masters]

Israel suspends contact with EU bodies over labelling of West Bank produce

Israel has said it is suspending contacts with European Union bodies involved in peace efforts with the Palestinians after the bloc started requiring exports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be labelled.

On Sunday, the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, ordered the foreign ministry to carry out “a reassessment of the involvement of EU bodies in everything that is connected to the diplomatic process with the Palestinians”, a ministry statement said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...contact-eu-bodies-labelling-west-bank-produce

 

[Herb Alpert]

Israel suspends contact with EU bodies over labelling of West Bank produce



http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...contact-eu-bodies-labelling-west-bank-produce

As always, Bibi puts peace first. Such a great man!

Spoiler

asshole, there won't be any step toward peace as long as this guy is command

 

[Joni]

Israel suspends contact with EU bodies over labelling of West Bank produce

That is how you now it is a good decision.

 

[Yazan]

Always suspending peace talk, ehh?

Like it has been alive.

 

[Nikodemos]

Israel suspends contact with EU bodies over labelling of West Bank produce



http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...contact-eu-bodies-labelling-west-bank-produce

As if Bibi actually gave a fuck in the first place about what the Union thinks.