COSATU supports dti on relabeling of Palestinian products

The Congress of South African Trade Unions warmly welcomes and fully supports the decision of the department of trade and industry that certain goods originating from Israel must be re-labelled to indicate they actually came from Occupied Palestinian Territories.

A well-known example is cosmetics from Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories which are being distributed in South Africa as products that originate in Israel when in fact they are manufactured in Mitzpe Shalem, an illegal Israeli settlement located in the West Bank near the Dead Sea. The dti rules now mean that their products now need new labels if they are to continue being sold in South Africa.

The South African government correctly recognises the State of Israel only within the borders demarcated by the United Nations in 1948, which do not include Palestinian Territories occupied after 1967.

COSATU emphatically rejects the argument of an Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson who has accused the Minister of Trade and Industry of racism, by "singling out of one side of one conflict out of all the conflicts in the world."

The federation reaffirms its support for the Palestinian solidarity campaign for boycotts, sanctions and divestments (BDS) of Israel, which draws much of its inspiration from the success of the boycott and sanctions levelled against apartheid South Africa to force pressure on the Israeli government.

Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, May 21 2012

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