Israel manufacturers urge EU against trade boycott

The head of the Israel Manufacturer’s Association has urged his European counterparts not to boycott Israeli businesses, warning that such a move could hit Palestinians as well, in a letter seen Monday.

The open letter to European industry leaders comes a week before Zionist regime is due to end exports of poultry and dairy produce from its West Bank settlements to the EU.

“I am asking for your support and assistance to convince the business community in your country not to use economic means to penalize their fellow Israeli manufacturers and exporters,” Zvi Oren wrote in the letter obtained by AFP Monday.

“Such actions can only affect our region in a negative way by loss of jobs and growth on both sides,” the letter said.

On August 17 Israeli and European officials said the Zionist regime would halt poultry and dairy exports to the EU from its settlements in the West Bank on September 1.

In 2013 the EU issued guidelines banning European institutions from dealing with Israeli entities operating in settlements.

And there have been growing calls for an economic, academic and cultural boycott of Israel over alleged human rights violations, including in Gaza, where a 51-day conflict has killed more than 2,100 Palestinians.