Judea and Samaria products must be labeled as Israeli goods, say Republican senators

The letter hinted at the possibility of a Biden administration that would be unfriendly to the Jewish state.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Four Republican senators are calling on President Donald Trump to allow goods made in Judea and Samaria to be labeled “made in Israel,” reported Axios on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, the United Nations and some prominent members of the Democratic Party are working to oppose Israel and to support the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to isolate and damage Israel economically,” reads the senators’ letter to the president.

Current U.S. customs policy guidelines state that products made in Judea and Samaria are labeled “made in the West Bank.” However, the U.S. treats goods produced in the region as “Israeli articles” for trade purposes.

The policy, while not strictly enforced, was originally introduced by then-President Bill Clinton in 1995, and ratified by the Obama administration in 2016.

While Trump has still not officially conceded the 2020 U.S. election, the letter hinted at the possibility of a Biden administration that would be unfriendly to the Jewish state.

“We are concerned that a future administration could choose to enforce these rules and thereby differentiate Israeli goods produced in Judea and Samaria, making them prime targets for BDS boycotts,” the letter continues.

“This decision would be yet another achievement by your administration that would support Israel and push back against anti-Semitism and the BDS movement.”

The letter was signed by Senators Tom Cotton (Arkansas), Ted Cruz (Texas), Marco Rubio (Florida) and Kelly Loeffler (Georgia).

As Georgia is expected to announce the results of its vote recount later today, it appears that both U.S. and Israeli officials are preparing for Biden to take office in January 2021.

On Wednesday, Walla! News reported that Israeli officials are gearing up for Biden to re-enter the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, from which Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018.

Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi reportedly said, in a closed-door meeting with the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, that “we don’t want to be on the outside this time.”