FBD: New guidance could create separate label for Israeli settlement food (UK)

FBD: New guidance could create separate label for Israeli settlement food (UK)

foodbizdaily.com

Guidance for UK food labels is set to change and distinguish between produce from Israeli settlements and Palestinian produce, reports claim.

All Jewish settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law, although this is disputed by Israel disputes.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.timesonline.co.uk
ww w.telegraph.co.uk
english.aljazeera.net

Very interesting and bold step by EU indeed. I found few other related articles

Britain has advised UK supermarkets selling goods from the West Bank to state explicitly on the labels whether the content has come from Israeli settlement or Palestinian-owned farms.

The recommendation, issued by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is not a legal requirement but Israeli officials and settler leaders have reacted angrily to the decision, saying it will lead to a boycott of their goods.

Until now, food has been labelled "Produce of the West Bank", but Defra's voluntary guidance says labels should give more precise information, like "Palestinian produce" or "Israeli settlement produce".

The Guardian, a British newspaper, said that 27 Israeli companies working in settlements and exporting to Britain had been identified, with stores selling such produce including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury, Somerfield, John Lewis and B&Q.

Source: UK calls for clearer Israeli labels

and the below one from Times article

Labels will soon show whether food from the West Bank, such as strawberries, dates and olives, comes from Palestinian farms or Israeli settlements, to give buyers a clearer choice.

Supermarkets and other retailers have decided to follow controversial new government guidance, despite Israel’s anger that it will provoke a boycott of its goods.

Goods will specify “produce of the West Bank (Israeli settlement produce)” or “produce of the West Bank (Palestinian produce)”. The Government has decided that produce from Israeli settlements may not be labelled “produce of Israel” because the area is not within the state’s internationally recognised boundaries.

Traders labelling goods from the occupied territories as Israeli produce also face possible enforcement action for breaching EU legislation.

Israel expresses anger at new Palestine food labels

Now this is confusing why is Israel govt. upset about the whole thing? It should be Palestinians who would be supposedly upset since due to the Muslim extremist hysteria in most parts of EU people may avoid buying goods from Palestinian territory.

Maybe just maybe it's a mock portraying of anger by Israel this time since as Israel believes it is breaking no rules and doing right thing annexing parts of West Bank and Gaza. If they do believe it is right what they are doing then what is the cause of concern?

Or is Israeli objections an admission of guilt?

In my honest opinion every user who buys a product should know where exactly it was made, it is as simple as that. I see no problem with EU initiating this rule in fact other countries should follow suit.

foodbizdaily.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 12-12-2009 by December_Rain]

Sounds as though the settlers want to stay with the labels the way they are now,as they know less people would be likley to buy stuff if it was labeled accuratley.

Seems they may have been using the "west bank" label to generate more profit than they would get if the goods were labeled "israeli occupied west bank."

Thats the only reason I can think of as to why the Israelis are annoyed at the idea.

The reason Israel is upset (in my opinion) is because they have a few things working against them:

1. The EU has ignored Israel and is working towards declaring Jerusalem the capital of both the "new" (not yet in existence) capital for both Israel and Palestine. Israel's concern of course being that once a capital is names, it is inferred it has a "state" to be the capital of.

2. The Palestinians in the West Bank have been portrayed (rightfully) as a desparate people right now fighting to hold onto everything they were legally (in their eyes) given while Israel continues to take it away from them.

3. Given that the exports are from the same region, it is a fairly good guess that there is an overlap of products. Therefore, in theory, consumers will have a choice of purchasing products -- and in turn sending profits -- over to either Israel or "Palestine".

Israel will then have two things working against their exports: people opting to "support" (in terms of sending profit) to the poorer Palestinians or the richer, US-backed Israelis, and secondly, the gereral wordly perception right now that Israel is the standing force between how it exists now and "peace in the Middle East".

4. Lastly, not only is Israel worried about their actual profits, but perhaps more concerned with their image. If a boycott of their products was called for, and was successful, it would be a very clear representation of who does and does not support the Israelis -- leaving the possibility of adding public pressure to the calls for a two-state solution.

[edit on 12-12-2009 by lpowell0627]

reply to post by lpowell0627


Very well said and up to the point. There would be no need or desire to boycott Israeli goods from the West Bank if Israel were standing firmly on the moral and legal high ground. The only reason why someone would not want the food's labeled would be if they wanted to deceive the public? what is the other reason to hide?

As a anonymous user commented on this issue:

Now,customers can make that informed choice and know if the food they are buying is from land that is internationally recognized or as illegally occupied or not....otherwise its West Bank/Gaza or Israel-and you don't know whether its legally occupied land or not. There is no reason not to have it, just states facts.

I am writing to my area legislator suggesting to adopt similar action and asking my family and frens. to do same and inform others. It's better trying than not to try at all.

Bravo and Kudos to EU for adopting this policy

[edit on 12-12-2009 by December_Rain]