Science, Technology and Space Minister Danny Danon (Likud) on Monday blasted the leftist Meretz party’s proposed bill that would have the state of Israel place labels identifying products originating from Judea and Samaria.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Danon said the initiative is “unacceptable” and vowed to fight it.
“We will not even discuss it. In my position in the Legislation Committee, I will not allow even a discussion of this issue. I call on the MKs from Meretz to take back this proposal. We don’t want to see it here in the Knesset,” he said.
"We are all aware of the boycotts that are coming from the outside but to see MKs coming and saying to boycott products by Israeli citizens is a twisted notion and we will not let it happen," Danon continued.
He vowed to “tear the paper” on which the Meretz proposal is written if it comes up for a discussion at the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, and added, “I do not understand the logic of Meretz, apparently they see the boycotts from the outside and feel they need to identify with them. I have no other explanation for it.”
The move was similarly criticized by MK Sharon Gal (Yisrael Beytenu) also blasted the proposal and said, "Meretz does not understand that we are at war. A party calling itself a Zionist party but behaves like the Arab party. Those who propose to label products will next propose to label people and that’s serious.”
"I call on Meretz, because we are at war and although they have no national responsibility, to withdraw the proposal,” added Gal, who said he wonders how Meretz would react if a similar proposal to label products made by Arabs was brought up.
Many have noted that the move to boycott "settlement" products not only is a form of discrimination - and is misguided since Israel's presence in the region is legal according to international law - but is also misguided, as it harms the many Arab employees of companies in the region.