Dutch Government Adopts Anti-Israel Labeling Practices

The Dutch Government has suggested that Dutch businessmen should refrain from labeling products made in the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria as made in Israel. Rather, the Dutch government suggests that such products should be labeled as made in an Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria, Golan Heights, East Jerusalem or as in the Palestinian territories. While the Dutch government has not mandated Dutch businessmen to do so, the fact that they are suggesting that Dutch businessmen label such products as made in an “Israeli settlements” is very much damaging.

The Dutch Ministry of Economy and Trade claimed that this decision was made after consulting with the European Commission. In a letter that EU chief Catherine Ashton sent to all EU member states, she urged that EU members ensure “existing EU compliance” with existing EU legislation on labeling products from Jewish communities beyond the green line, claiming that such compliance was “incumbent on EU member states.” Indeed, the Dutch government recommended that Yesha products be labeled one week after the EU formally recommended that its 27 member states boycott Jewish communities beyond the green line, a decision which was reached following the publication of the Jerusalem 2012 report by the European Union.

This decision to listen to Ashton makes the Netherlands, one of Israel’s best friends in Europe, the second country in the European Union to do so, after Great Britain. Denmark had studied the matter, yet refrained from taking action. Some commentators are shocked by this decision, due to the close relations that exist between Israel and the Netherlands. For example, the Netherlands has promoted adding Hezbollah to the EU’s list of terror organizations and has voted in favor of Israel in many international forums.

Nevertheless, Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmerman has claimed, “the settlements are illegal and an obstacle to peace.” Timmerman also asserted that labeling Yesha products as such would enable customers to know whether they want to buy such products. He declared, “We do not want to contribute to the economy of the illegal settlements.” While the Dutch Foreign Ministry has claimed that they are opposed to comprehensive boycotts of Israel, one cannot ignore the implications of such a policy.

Israel’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Haim Divon, has expressed displeasure over Ashton’s letter and warned that while it only spoke about Jewish communities beyond the green line, it would lead to more comprehensive European boycotts of Israel. Divon claimed that many Dutch companies will view the Dutch governments’ suggestion as a binding ban on Jewish products within Judea and Samaria, even though it was merely a suggestion. According to Divon, EU officials “obsessive preoccupation with the settlements had exceeded all proportion” and that “the European Union is taking out its frustration with the situation in the Middle East on us,” even though it is the Palestinian side which refuses to sit down and negotiate a peace deal.

Please write the Dutch government to complain!

Contact: https://www.government.nl/contact/contact-form

Dear Minister Frans Timmerman,

As a concerned citizen, I am deeply disturbed that you support labeling products built by Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria as either made in the Palestinian territories or stating that they were built by a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, or the West Bank. First of all, such a step amounts to preconditioning which territories belong to Israel and which territories belong to the Palestinians or others, before peace negotiations have even determined which lands will belong to whom.

Second of all, this measure serves to discriminate against Jewish communities. To label products as being made by Israeli settlements is to draw attention to the fact that Jews made the product, instead of just naming the country and allowing the ethnic origin to remain anonymous. Just as one would not want a product to be labeled as made by Arabs in Jaffa, for example, since it draws attention to the ethnic origin of the makers; it is also important that Jewish products will not be discriminated against as different from Arab products. Locations such as Israel can be labeled, yet not ethnic groups.

Thirdly, while the Dutch Foreign Ministry claimed that they are opposed to boycotting Israel comprehensively and the Dutch government stated that they will not penalize shop owners who prefer not to label products from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria as such, it is also true that such a step by the Dutch government emboldens the BDS movement, thus leading to comprehensive boycotts against Israel generally and thus encouraging Palestinians to establish their state unilaterally rather than as part of peace negotiations with Israel. Such a policy Furthermore, many shop owners will not grasp that they won’t be penalized for not labeling products.

For all of these reasons, I urge you to reconsider your position. Thank you for your consideration.

All the best,

Your Name

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