Bahrain says it won’t permit imports from Israeli settlements | Israel

Gulf state disavows earlier feedback made by commerce minister who mentioned it had no challenge with items produced in settlements.

Bahrain won’t permit the import of Israeli items produced in settlements in illegally occupied Palestinian territory, state information company BNA reported on Saturday, disavowing feedback made by the Gulf state’s commerce minister earlier this week.

Bahrain’s Business, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani had voiced openness to settlement imports, including that Manama would make no distinction between items produced in Israel or within the occupied West Financial institution and Golan Heights.

Al-Zayani was quoted as saying by Reuters information company that Bahrain “will deal with Israeli merchandise as Israeli merchandise … so we’ve got no challenge with labelling or origin”.

“The minister’s assertion was misinterpreted and that the ministry is dedicated to the Bahraini authorities’s unwavering stance concerning adherence to the resolutions of the United Nations,” BNA reported late on Friday, quoting an official supply from the ministry of business, commerce and tourism.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on September 15 underneath a United States-sponsored deal billed by the Gulf states as being made doable by Israel’s shelving of a plan to annex West Financial institution settlements. Most world powers deem the plan, which was determined with out the Palestinians, unlawful.

US permits imports from settlements

Below European Union tips, settlement merchandise ought to be clearly labelled as such when exported to EU member nations.

Final month, the Trump administration eliminated US customs distinctions between items made inside Israel and in settlements.

Palestinian International Minister Riyad al-Maliki mentioned his Bahraini counterpart additionally denied the business minister’s feedback in a telephone name.

“The alleged feedback … completely contradicted his nation’s [Bahrain] supportive place of the Palestinian trigger,” an announcement from al-Maliki’s workplace mentioned.

Israel expects commerce with Bahrain to be price round $220m in 2021, not together with doable defence and tourism offers.

Palestinians need to set up an impartial state within the occupied West Financial institution and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital, however the challenge of Jewish settlements on land captured by Israel in 1967 has lengthy been a stumbling block within the peace course of, which is now at an deadlock.