Bahrain announces it won’t permit imports from Israeli settlements

Bahrain will not permit the import of Israeli goods produced in settlements in taken Palestinian territory, national news agency BNA announced, denying remarks given by the Gulf state’s trade minister earlier this week.

Rashid al-Zayani Bahrain’s Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin had talked openness to agreement imports, continuing that Manama would make no difference between goods manufactured in Israel or in the controlled West Bank and Golan Heights.

“The minister’s comment was misunderstood and that the ministry is assigned to the Bahraini government’s consistent position concerning adherence to the resolutions of the United Nations,” BNA announced late on Friday, citing an authoritative specialist from the ministry of industry, commerce and tourism.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised relations with Israel on Sept. 15, in a U.S.-sponsored agreement billed by the Gulf states as being made possible by Israel’s shelving of a proposal to join West Bank settlements. Most powers deem them unlawful.

Under European Union guidelines, settlement commodities or products should be prominently marked as such when exported to European Union member nations. The Trump government last month removed U.S. customs differences between goods made within Israel and in settlements.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki announced his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, also rejected the industry minister’s remarks in a phone call.

“The alleged remarks … totally repudiated his country’s (Bahrain) supportive position of the Palestinian problem,” a statement from Maliki’s office stated.

Palestinians want to build an autonomous state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital, but the issue of Jewish settlements on land captured by Israel in 1967 has long been a stumbling block in the peace process, which is now in a stalemate.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has presented it even more difficult for Palestinians by granting full support to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and moving the U.S. consulate in Israel to Jerusalem.