November 30, 2010
Dear Member of the European Parliament,
On 6 September 2010 four Members of the European Parliament tabled a “written
declaration on the labeling of goods from the OPT”. The declaration, which can be found as
an annex to this letter, affirms that “European consumers have a right to accurate labeling on
the origin of products they purchase, without the risk of being misled” and requests the
European Commission to “produce guidance on the labeling of goods from the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, ensuring that Israeli settlement products are clearly distinguished
from Israeli goods and Palestinian products”. It also calls upon Member States to “ensure,
through their enforcement of EU labeling law, that Israeli settlement products are clearly
distinguished from Israeli goods and Palestinian products”.
The European Union has declared Israel’s settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
to be a violation of international law. Some goods produced in these settlements are often
labeled in Europe as “made in Israel” or “made in the West Bank”, preventing consumers
from making an informed choice with regards to the origin of the products they are
purchasing.
European Jews for a Just Peace (EJJP) supports this call to make sure that Israeli settlement
goods are clearly distinguished from general Israeli or Palestinian products. The settlements
and the settlement economy are a threat and an obstacle to a just and peaceful solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and consumers who oppose Israel’s settlement policies have a
right to know where the goods they buy come from so they are able to make a conscious
decision.
We call upon you, as a respected Member of the European Parliament, to endorse this
declaration, to support the fair labeling of products coming from the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.
Yours sincerely,
Max Wieselmann,
member of the Executive and board member of
European Jews for a Just Peace (EJJP)