Agriculture Ministry to farmers: Separate West Bank, Golan Heights products ahead of EU ban
Israeli farmers also now need to make a list of materials they use from farms over the Green Line.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, BEN CASPIT/ MAARIV HASHAVUACheese at a shop in Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
In a letter recently sent out by the Ministry of Agriculture to Israeli dairy and livestock producers, Israeli farmers were told to start separating out their products that come from beyond the Green Line ahead of the European Union's boycott of dairy, poultry, eggs and meat that come from the West Bank and Golan Heights. The separated products will then not be sent to the European Union.The EU's ban is designated for products from the West Bank and Golan Heights, but would technically include certain parts of Jerusalem, though no Israeli goods are produced there anymore.In accordance with instructions from the Foreign and Finance ministries, the letter goes on to state that farmers must present the ministry with a list of farms over the Green Line from which they receive raw materials that are combined with materials from multiple farms. This is being done in order to separate end products, such as powdered milk, that could include materials from both farms over the Green Line and farms within the EU's definition of Israel.Currently, products sold in the European Union that come from over the Green Line carry a label, but are not banned outright.The European Union agreed to the Green Line poultry, egg, meat and dairy ban on February 17 of this year. The ban is supposed to go into effect on September 1.
