Minister of economy pushes 'no settlement goods' agenda
Published today (updated) 30/10/2009 15:04
www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=235996

Hebron - Ma'an - Fulfilling an earlier promise to crackdown on goods brought
into Palestinian cities from illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank,
PA customs officers confiscated more than a dozen tons of food and paper
supplies Wednesday that they said was unfit for human use.

Newly instated Palestinian Minister of Economy Hassan Abu Libdeh announced a
catalogue of goods confiscated by customs officers across the West Bank.

From Hebron, 25 tons of juice was confiscated from a warehouse. The products
were destined for Gaza but did not receive permits and spoiled in the
storage area. A local retailer bought the spoiled goods for sale in the West
Bank, officials said.

From the illegal Israeli settlement of Burkan, near Salfit, 240 door locks
sold to a Palestinian building supplier were confiscated, as well as more
than 20 tons of paper from the same settlement. The paper, used in the
manufacture of diapers, was found in large quantities in Nablus, Qalqiliya
and Hebron.

Customs officer Ghaleb Dewan said seizing the goods, both expired and
settlement-made, was in accordance with a 2005 decision by the Palestinian
Legislative Council (PLC) to prevent products manufactured in settlements
from being sold in Palestinian markets.

"Palestinians have the duty of preventing settlement goods from making
profits for the illegal Israeli colonies," Dewan said, adding that even the
EU boycotts settlement goods.