Bahrain open to imports from Israeli settlements, Palestinians fume
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[December 03, 2020]
By Dan Williams
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Bahrain's imports
from Israel will not be subject to distinctions between products made
within Israel and those from settlements in occupied territory, the
Bahraini trade minister said on Thursday, drawing a rebuke from the
Palestinians.
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on
Sept. 15, in a U.S.-sponsored deal billed by the Gulf countries as being
made possible by Israel's shelving of a plan to annex West Bank
settlements. Most world powers deem them illegal.
But Bahrain's Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin Rashid
al-Zayani voiced openness to settlement imports.
"We will treat Israeli products as Israeli products. So we have no issue
with labelling or origin," he told Reuters during a visit to Israel.
Under European Union guidelines, settlement products should be clearly
labelled as such when exported to EU member countries. The Trump
administration last month removed U.S. customs distinctions between
goods made within Israel and in settlements.
Al-Zayani's remarks were condemned by Wasel Abu Youssef of the Palestine
Liberation Organization as "contradicting international and U.N.
resolutions".
He urged Arab countries not to import products from within Israel,
either, in order to prevent it "stretching into Arab markets to
strengthen its economy".
The stateless Palestinians hope to create their own independent country
in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, but the issue of Jewish
settlements on land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War has
long been a stumbling block in the now-stalemated peace process.
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Bahrain's Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister, Zayed Rashid al-Zayani
speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem December 3, 2020.
REUTERS/Ammar Awad
They now fear that the warming ties between Gulf states and Israel,
along with Trump's strong support for Israel, have badly damaged
their aspirations.
It was not clear what other Gulf states' positions on imports from
the settlements were. But an Israeli winery that uses grapes grown
on the occupied Golan Heights said in September that its labels
would be sold in the UAE.
Israel expects trade with Bahrain worth around $220 million in 2021,
not including possible defence and tourism deals.
Al-Zayani said Bahraini carrier Gulf Air was tentatively scheduled
to begin flights to Tel Aviv on Jan. 7, with shipping to follow.
"We are fascinated by how integrated IT and innovation sector in
Israel has been embedded in every facet of life," he said.
He played down speculation in Israel that its citizens visiting
Bahrain could be at risk of reprisals for the assassination last
Friday of a top Iranian nuclear scientist, which Tehran blamed on
Israeli agents.
"We don't see any threats, and therefore we don't see any
requirement for additional security or special treatment for
Israelis," he said.
(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Dan Williams,
Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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