Products from Judea and Samaria would not be labeled as coming from Israel, according to a new bill proposed on Thursday by coalition MK Mossi Raz (Meretz).
Raz said such labeling was necessary because of international trade agreements signed by Israel in recent years.
“There are many who want to purchase Israeli agricultural products that were neither imported nor grown in occupied territories,” Raz said. “There are considerations that are environmental, ethical and to strengthen the local economy. This information must be transparent for them.”
Regarding wine from the Golan Heights, he proposed labeling the town where it was grown.
Raz suggested including such labeling in the new agricultural reform being implemented by Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman and Agriculture Minister Oded Forer (both of Yisrael Beytenu). It includes removing taxes on fruit and vegetables from abroad in an effort to lower prices for Israeli consumers.
The reform is vigorously opposed by MKs from Labor, Meretz and Blue and White, out of concern that it would harm Israeli farmers, with 17 MKs signing a petition against the reform plan. Labor faction chairman Ram Shefa said the true way for Liberman to lower the cost of living is to lower housing prices and provide free education for children from the time they are born.
Liberman responded that the MKs who oppose his plan also blocked other key steps he tried to take to help the lower class in Israel.
“Lowering the cost of living in Israel requires courageous steps to be taken,” he said.