Today, the Orthodox Union, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, condemned the unjust and discriminatory ruling issued by the European Court of Justice today that unfairly isolates products made in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and requires them to be labeled as such.  The preliminary ruling of the court arises from a petition filed by the Psagot Winery and a French Jewish organization (the Organization Juif Europeanne) in response to a decision made by the Minister of the Economy of France.

The EU court’s decision singles out Israel for penalties that the EU has not imposed with regard to any other active global territorial dispute such as northern Cyprus and the Western Sahara.  Moreover, the ruling undermines a principle that the EU and its member states claim to believe: that only a political process and direct negotiations will bring about a viable and lasting settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict; the court’s ruling willfully pushes the issue into the judicial sphere, rather than the political sphere where it belongs.

Said Orthodox Union President Mark (Moishe) Bane:
“Anti-Israel sentiment and anti-Semitism historically travel hand-in-hand. This ruling by the EU’s court comes at a time of increasing anti-Jewish activity and attacks in Europe. The ruling can only be seen as having nothing to do with consumer practices, and everything to do with yet another attempt to isolate Israel.”

Said Orthodox Union Executive Director for Public Policy Nathan Diament:
“This anti-Israel ruling will give support to those who actively seek to de-legitimize the Jewish state and promote the ‘Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions’ against Israel movement, which incites and inflames hatred against Israel. We urge fair-minded countries and their leaders to pause and take corrective action against the European Court’s unjust decision.”