Labeling. Profiling. Zip Code. It Could Get Worse.

The UK recognises something called the "Occupied Palestinian Territories", or OPT.

And they believe:

Israeli settlements in the OPT are unlawful under international law. They contravene Article 49 (6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own civilian population into occupied territory.

And from this, did you know there's

...a British decision to advise retailers and importers to distinguish on labels whether imported produce from the West Bank is being made in the settlements or by Palestinians.

According to a statement released by the British Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs...the label 'West Bank' does not allow consumers to distinguish between goods originating from Palestinian producers and goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements."

Therefore, according to guidelines put out by the department, "Traders and retailers may wish to indicate whether the product originated from an Israeli settlement or from Palestinian producers. This could take the form, for example, of 'Produce of the West Bank (Israeli settlement produce)' or 'Produce of the West Bank (Palestinian produce)', as appropriate."

Here is DEFRA's "Technical advice: labelling of produce grown in the Occupied Palestinian Territories" and how do they know origin?

In all cases, the proof of preferential origin will contain details of the place of production and accompanying zip code (i.e. postcode) of the produce concerned. This zip code will enable a distinction to be drawn between products from the internationally recognised state of Israel and products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The inclusion of the place of production and zip code on the Israeli proof of preferential origin therefore enables a distinction to be made between which products are and are not entitled to a preferential rate of duty under the EU-Israel Agreement (see para 12 below). Only those products covered by a proof showing a place
of production and zip code in the territory of the State of Israel are eligible for preferential access under the Agreement. HM Revenue and Customs will reject the claim to Israeli preference in all cases where the proof shows a Settlement location and zip code.

Imagine that. I have to remember my Zip Code.


Dear DEFRA,

Just a reminder, when you begin to talk about numbers and Jews, it can get a bit sticky.