The European Union's top court says EU countries must identify produce made in Israeli settlements on its labels, a ruling that was welcomed by rights groups but sparked anger in Israel.
FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2015 file photo, a man walks by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The European Court of Justice said in a statement issued Tuesday Nov. 12, 2019, that “foodstuffs originating in the territories occupied by the State of Israel must bear the indication of their territory of origin.” with special labels indicating that provenance.
The volume of settlement goods coming into Europe, including olive oil, fruit and wine but also industrial products, is relatively small compared to the political significance of the court ruling. It is estimated to affect about 1% of imports from Israel, which amount to about 15 billion euros a year.
The ECJ underlined that settlements"give concrete expression to a policy of population transfer conducted by that State outside its territory, in violation of the rules of general international humanitarian law." Human Rights Watch welcomed the ruling. The rights watchdog's EU Director, Lotte Leicht, said it's"an important step toward EU member states upholding their duty not to participate in the fiction that illegal settlements are part of Israel."
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