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Norwegian Foreign Minister Defends Decision to Place Warning Labels on Israeli Products from 'Occupied Territories'

June 12, 2022: from the Algemeiner:

"Norway’s foreign minister has defended her country’s announcement on Friday that goods imported from the West Bank, the Golan Heights and eastern Jerusalem must be labeled accordingly, sparking the ire of the Israeli government.

"The government explained that the decision was taken in accordance with a European Court of Justice ruling in 2019 requiring products from these territories to be labeled as originating from an “Israeli settlement.' According to its guidelines, “foodstuffs originating in areas occupied by Israel must be marked with the area from which the product comes, and that it comes from an Israeli settlement if that is the case, especially wine, olive oil, fruit, vegetables and potatoes.'

"While Norway is not a member of the EU, it is a participant in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which promotes economic integration with the bloc. Defending the labeling decision, Huitfeldt cited Denmark, Finland and Sweden as three EU member states which had introduced similar policies regarding the labeling of Israeli exports."