26 May, 2001

Council for Arab-British Understanding
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Israel's exports - The Independent

Sir, Stephen Castle misses the point in his coverage of the issue of Israeli settlement products. ("EU threatens Israel over its exports from settlements", 21 May 2001) There is no dispute as to whether Israel is exporting settlement products into the EU – you can buy Golani wine easily in London, for example. Israel admits this anyhow but is adamant that such settlement products should be deemed Israeli. But can the EU ever be sure that Israel will not certify these products as Israeli in future? Can any Israeli product be guaranteed to contain no parts coming from a settlement including in Jerusalem, which is not part of the territorial area of the state of Israel according to international law and the EU? As this will prove impossible, the technical conclusion must be that the entire customs relationship is irreparably undermined. Above all the EU has through neglecting taking action so far, has continued to help sustain those very settlements it regularly declares illegal (*and the International Red Cross believes are a war crime).