Bahrain Open to Imports From Illegal Zionist Settlements, Palestinians Fume
AL-QUDS (Dispatches) – The Bahraini trade minister says imports from the occupied territories will not be subject to distinctions between illegal settlements or anywhere else in occupied territory, drawing a rebuke from Palestinians.
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalized ties with the Zionist regime on Sept. 15, in a U.S.-sponsored deal.
Although the international community deems the settlements as illegal, 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 labeling or origin,” he told Reuters during a visit to the occupied territories.
Under European Union guidelines, settlement products should be clearly labeled as such when exported to EU member countries. The Trump administration last month removed U.S. customs distinctions between goods made within the illegal settlements or other parts of the occupied territories.
Al-Zayani’s remarks were condemned by Wasel Abu Youssef of the Palestine Liberation Organization as "contradicting international and UN resolutions”.
He urged Arab countries not to import products from other parts of the occupied territories, either, in order to prevent it from "stretching into Arab markets to strengthen its economy”.
Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has denounced Zayani’s position, saying it runs contrary to international law.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement on Thursday that the statements reflects Bahrain’s state of political and moral downfall as well as its collaboration with the occupying regime against Palestine.
He also called on the Bahraini nation to pressure the Manama regime into abandoning such humiliating and hostile stances against Palestinian people.
Separately, the humanitarian anti-Israeli regime movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) slammed Bahrain’s treatment of Zionist settlement products, emphasizing that the position amounts to Manama’s participation in war crimes being committed by the Zionist regime against Palestinians.
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalized ties with the Zionist regime on Sept. 15, in a U.S.-sponsored deal.
Although the international community deems the settlements as illegal, 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 labeling or origin,” he told Reuters during a visit to the occupied territories.
Under European Union guidelines, settlement products should be clearly labeled as such when exported to EU member countries. The Trump administration last month removed U.S. customs distinctions between goods made within the illegal settlements or other parts of the occupied territories.
Al-Zayani’s remarks were condemned by Wasel Abu Youssef of the Palestine Liberation Organization as "contradicting international and UN resolutions”.
He urged Arab countries not to import products from other parts of the occupied territories, either, in order to prevent it from "stretching into Arab markets to strengthen its economy”.
Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has denounced Zayani’s position, saying it runs contrary to international law.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement on Thursday that the statements reflects Bahrain’s state of political and moral downfall as well as its collaboration with the occupying regime against Palestine.
He also called on the Bahraini nation to pressure the Manama regime into abandoning such humiliating and hostile stances against Palestinian people.
Separately, the humanitarian anti-Israeli regime movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) slammed Bahrain’s treatment of Zionist settlement products, emphasizing that the position amounts to Manama’s participation in war crimes being committed by the Zionist regime against Palestinians.