DISINVESTMENT FROM WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS GAINS MOMENTUM (Israel)
Posted by Gilmour Poincaree on November 18, 2008
Published: November 18, 2008
by Cherrie Heywood (Middle East Times)
JERUSALEM – In an endeavor to breathe some life back into the 
moribund Israeli-Palestinian conflict the British government is taking steps to encourage disinvestment from illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank by labeling all produce manufactured and produced by settlers.
Previously all items imported into the United Kingdom simply stated that they were made in Israel, making it impossible for those who support a boycott of settler produce from being able to distinguish between Israeli produce from within Israel’s internationally recognized and legal borders of 1967 and goods produced in the settlements.
This step by the British follows in the wake of Barkan Wineries, a Dutch company’s decision to relocate from the industrial zone in the Barkan settlement in the northern West Bank to Kibbutz Hulda within the green line.
Barkan had been under pressure from both the Dutch government, which condemns Israel’s settlement policy on Palestinian land, and the Israeli peace movement Gush Shalom which initiated a boycott against Barkan wines.
However, British Secretary of State David Miliband attempted to downplay the re-labeling move when he visited Israel last week during a two-day visit and met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Livni told Miliband that the United Kingdom was taking “an exaggerated stance in its initiative to label produce imported from the West Bank.”
Miliband denied that the labeling of settlement produce amounted to a boycott and explained it was “merely an attempt to enforce previous trade agreements between the two countries.”
However, Miliband was under a certain amount of pressure during his visit to express strong opposition to settlement in the West Bank and to press European partners for tighter control of imports to the European Union from the settlements.
Some of these imports are admitted at European ports as the produce of Israel and therefore enjoy tariff benefits under an Israel-EU treaty, British officials said.
Anonymous European diplomats added that a fresh economic offensive on the West Bank settlements had not yet been officially approved.
But they qualified that Miliband had been trying to engage support from Brussels for a tougher approach as they believe the settlements are the core issue in regard to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Proser also held a meeting with Miliband and rejected the latter’s argument.
Proser added that the idea to label the products was part of Downing Street’s effort to influence Israeli policy toward the settlements and any other explanation was just an excuse.
The angry Israelis further asserted that London is interested in increasing its involvement in Middle East talks.
This is based on the belief that once U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is sworn into office they will be able to nudge forward a new peace initiative in conjunction with the White House.
Apart from the political considerations of Israeli settlements hindering a successful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, human rights organizations have also expressed concern over the ill-treatment of Palestinian workers on the settlements.
In August, the Business and Human Rights Resource Center, the international watchdog organization, asked three Israeli companies to respond to a report by an Israeli non-governmental organization that protested the treatment of Palestinian workers at West Bank settlement industrial parks.
Kav LaOved, which is concerned with the rights of migrant and Palestinian workers employed in Israel and the settlements, reported on the rising number of claims by Palestinian workers employed in West Bank settlements following an October 2007 Israeli high court ruling that the country’s labor laws applied in the settlements.
According to Kav LaOved’s report, Palestinian workers who come from all over the West Bank have to work under poor health and safety conditions.
To evade liability, work permits are issued under the name of a different employer, and workers employed through a Palestinian contractor are paid less.
During Miliband’s talks, which were described as tough by Israeli officials, the two countries also expressed differences on talks with Syria.
But of prime importance to Tel Aviv was the fear that Israeli defense officials could face indictment for war crimes if they visit Britain.
To this end British Ambassador Tom Phillips was summoned by the Israeli Foreign Ministry last Thursday where he was informed of Israel’s “disappointment” over the British government’s failure to change legislation regarding the apprehension of war criminals.
This legislation enables Britain to arrest alleged war criminals for crimes committed overseas.
Several former Israeli Defense Forces generals, including former Chief of Staff and current Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, have deliberately avoided traveling to the United Kingdom out of fear of being arrested on arrival.
