EU and Settlement Exports

June 12, 2012 by

This is a guest post from Israel Situation reader Barry Williams from Cork, Ireland.

Every 6 months the Presidency of the European Union changes among it’s members. Ireland will take over the Presidency on the 1st Jan 2013.

The Irish foreign Minister has stated he will seek a ban of Israeli settlement goods into the EU. This would be worse than the recent South African decision to label settlement goods “Palestinian,” as it would mean the goods could not enter the EU. This will really affect the Israeli economy.

I am Irish and we in Ireland who support Israel have set up this petition to call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to not seek to ban Israeli settlement goods. The EU is a major trading partner with Israel and if this ban goes through and it very easily could, it will have a HUGE knock on effect to Israeli’s and their economy.

I need to collect at least 3,000 signatures.I am pleading with everyone to sign it, but it is also vital to forward this to friends of any other groups, churches, and synagogues you know that are pro-Israel. Please tweet the link and share on Facebook.

Please don’t ignore this. Stand with Israel today and sign it and share it.

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  • http://andyboy1.com Andyboy

    I hope your efforts will be successful. Perhaps you could draw the attention of your local population and media to the following fact:

    “Today Irish exports (to Israel) are $344 million and Israeli exports (to Ireland) are approaching 200 million USD.”

    http://www.moit.gov.il/NR/exeres/11E76928-6E01-4067-A49A-91172862977C.htm

    If we assume that trade from the settlements amounts to – say – 10/20% ( and that could be a generous estimate) then Israel stands to lose, maybe, $40 million in the Irish market.

    But boycotts can cut both ways!

    Ireland has considerably more to lose should Israel reciprocate. Given the state of the Irish economy, can it really afford to lose $344 million in exports?

    I think not.

    For Ireland, and its foreign minister, I commend the old Chinese saying:

    “Be careful what you wish for……….”

  • Andy

    Maybe Isreal should of thought about the possible consciences of it actions when it stole the identity of Irish and other eu citizens and murdered a man. Those are not the actions of a friendly nation! The sooner the better for everyone once Isreal accepts the two state solution. The palestinians deserve there own country just as much as you do.