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Last update - 02:53 04/11/2008 Britain tells EU to clamp down on W. Bank imports By Haaretz Correspondents and Agencies , By Barak Ravid and Anshel Pfeffer Britain is pressing the European Union to be stricter about labeling imports produced in West Bank settlements, leading Jerusalem officials to fear a confrontation with London over the settlements issue. They say the latest moves are aimed at applying diplomatic pressure on Israel in a bid to stop construction in the settlements. Quiet diplomacy is being employed to solve the dispute between London and Jerusalem, with low-level contacts as well as higher-level talks. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni discussed the issue with her British counterpart, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, requesting clarifications. Miliband is scheduled to visit Israel later this month, and the topic is expected to be on the agenda. Advertisement The Independent reported yesterday that Britain circulated an internal note to the 27 EU members expressing concern that goods produced in the settlements may be entering Britain after being illegally exempted from tariffs in violation of an Israel-EU trade agreement. It urges the adoption of a more stringent labeling policy, clearly indicating the origin of goods. Currently the goods are designated as having been produced in the "West Bank," which according to the note issued by Britain could mislead consumers into thinking they were of Palestinian origin. A senior Jerusalem official confirmed the existence of the note and said that Britain complained to EU members that they were not strictly enforcing the organization's agreement with Israel with regard to the settlements. The officials said that Britain had asked to consult with all EU member states on the issue but had not as yet received affirmative responses to the request. Israeli officials believe that Britain is using a technicality in the free-trade agreement with the EU to put pressure on Jerusaelm vis-a-vis the settlements. Behind the British move is an EU resolution from the late 1990s providing tariff exemptions only to Israeli goods from within the Green Line, while goods produced in the settlements would be subject to the usual tariffs. A few years ago Israel agreed to indicate on products exported to the EU the geographic location of goods. Britain charges that Israeli companies located in settlements try to get around the agreement by registering company offices within the Green Line. According to the article in The Independent, British retailers, including Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose and Somerfield, acknowledge designating foods grown on settlements as coming from the West Bank and say this complies with the EU requirements. Marks & Spencer recently disclosed it had stopped stocking goods made in the West Bank. "We are aware of [the note] and there is a dialogue between us and the British authorities," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said yesterday. "Our position in the past has been that labeling is out of the question, and that products could be identified according to the zip code." In a statement to Haaretz yesterday the British Foreign Office said that Britain's position regarding the settlements - that they are illegal and constitute an obstacle to peace - is well-known. The statement said that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has asked all parties to cease all actions that could harm progress in realizing the road map, including the issue of labeling products from Israel or the settlements. It noted that concerns had been raised recently that various parties were exploiting Israel's trade agreement with the EU to bring goods from the settlements into Britain falsely labeled as coming from Israel. Britain's embassy in Israel issued a statement saying it had no desire to comment on internal governmental agreements. A British diplomatic source yesterday reiterated his government's position about the illegality of the settlements and said that all construction in these communities must cease immediately, including that labeled for "natural growth" only. The source added that the British government has information concerning which goods from the settlements allegedly were exempted illegally from EU tariffs. He said that British Customs is investigating the issue and carrying out careful inspections of the goods. The source said his government will take special care to see to it that neither British nor EU policy aids in settlement construction. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Obama goes white A new advertisement reminds Americans to consider the real issues when voting Sarah Palin hits a nerve The antipathy to Palin is located at the intersection of feminism and Jewish identity

Read & React Bradley Burston: Dire fears for Obama in Rabin's long shadow Responses: 13 Obama carries lead over McCain into election day Responses: 169 ANALYSIS / Is Obama a danger to Israel after all? Responses: 198 Britain to EU: Clamp down on imports from settlements Responses: 234 You betcha, Sarah Palin hits a nerve among Jewish women Responses: 111 Hezbollah: Large swaths of north Israel belong to Lebanon Responses: 151 More Headlines 01:40 First polls close in historic U.S. election 01:35 Five Hamas men killed in first IDF raid since Gaza truce 01:33 Dire fears for Obama in Rabin's long shadow 01:18 On Rabin anniversary, Ben-Eliezer says 'next political murder is around the corner' 23:28 McCain turns black and Obama goes white to focus voters on the issues 01:36 Favorite TV moments from the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign 01:23 Some drinking games to help Americans in Israel make it through election night 18:27 Israel's UN envoy: Dangerous words, like Ahmadinejad's, sparked the Holocaust 22:24 Peres to join Saudi King on interfaith panel for first time 23:52 ANALYSIS / So is Obama a danger to Israel after all? 18:26 Human Rights Watch charges Georgia used defective Israeli-made cluster bombs 01:44 VIDEO / Arabs across the Middle East express preference for Obama 19:57 Israelis unearth skeleton of 'petite' priestess who died 12,000 years ago Previous Editions Select Day 04 nov 03 nov 02 nov 31 oct 30 oct 29 oct 28 oct 27 oct 26 oct 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct

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