Former Israeli ambassador to South Africa Alon Liel says consumers should be allowed to decide whether to boycott goods A former Israeli ambassador to South Africa has backed international efforts to prevent produce originating in Jewish settlements in the West Bank being labelled Made in Israel in order to allow consumers to decide whether to boycott such goods. By denying a Made in Israel label, international governments not only allow consumers free choice whether or not to buy settlement produce, but also “protect and reinforce the pre-1967 border”, says Alon Liel. He also warns that rapid expansion of settlements is threatening a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, suggesting the alternative is an “Israeli apartheid state”. Writing in the Guardian, Liel – also a former director-general of Israel’s foreign ministry – says efforts by the South African and Danish governments over the labelling of settlement produce could “help pave the way to peace”, and urges other governments to follow suit. Pointing out that settlements “are built on occupied land outside Israel’s internationally recognised borders and are illegal under international law”, he says the Made in Israel label “implicitly condones the expansionist policy of Israel’s rightwing government led by Binyamin Netanyahu”.

Continued:
World