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EU boycott of all Israeli products likely: Journalist

Tuesday, 15 December 2015 10:16 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 15 December 2015 10:16 AM ]

A woman wears a placard reading “Bubbles of Sodastream, Tears of Palestinians” during a demonstration in Angouleme, western France, on January 31, 2015. (©AFP)

Press TV has conducted an interview with Richard Silverstein, a journalist and political commentator from Seattle, on escalation between the European Union and the Tel Aviv regime on boycott of commodities from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian lands.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Tel Aviv has blatantly broken international law for decades, is this firm response by the European Union the beginning of trying to hold Israel accountable for its violations?

Silverstein: It is. I would say it’s not a huge step but it’s a welcome and first step. It identifies for European consumers products from illegal settlements in the West Bank.

And it permits them to avoid those products, something which Israel abhors. And why Israel has reacted so violently and angrily to this decision, cutting off ties to EU and also hypocritically, I think, cutting off EU context in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which is non-existent.

Press TV: Israel is taking reciprocal measures against the EU, but what logic or basis can Tel Aviv stand by when their actions against Palestinians are blatantly and clearly illegal?

Silverstein: Well, I don’t think that Israel really cares about international law. So, that doesn’t factor into their thinking.

I think the only thing they think about is what people and states around the world care about them who have leverage over them, who could have some kind of impact upon them. And I think the EU as a market for Israeli exports is quite important, and this being first step, it could lead down the line if political situation deteriorates in Palestine as I think it will, it could lead eventually to a broader boycott and whether the EU is calling it as a boycott or not, it’s inevitable.

It is a boycott, it’s the beginning of a boycott and they could lead to the boycott of all Israeli products. And that’s something that will have to see how that develops as time goes on.

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