RAMALLAH, November 4, 2014 – (WAFA) – Garment factories in illegal Israeli settlements have been re-labeling their products with international brand names to market them in the Palestinian market, said Ministry of National Economy.

Israeli garment businesses operating in the West Bank illegal Israeli settlements are palming off their products in an attempt to circumvent the boycotting campaign and make inroads into the Palestinian market.

The Consumer Protection Directorate crews closely monitored a vehicle loaded with Israeli garments exiting the illegal settlement of Burkan and heading to Salfit market. After he was caught red-handed, the vehicle driver was brought before a competent court.

Director of the Consumer Protection Directorate in Salfit, Raed Naser stated his directorate crews have detected dealings between Burkan garment factories and some Palestinian tailoring workshops. First, raw or processed fabrics used to be supplied by Burkan garment factories to the tailoring workshops in order to weave clothes. Then, such clothes would be moved back to the factories, where international clothing brand labels were attached to them in an attempt to promote them as non-settlement products in Palestinian markets.

In April 2010, President Mahmoud Abbas signed a law banning trading and promoting settlement products in Palestinian markets. The law stipulates that “any trading, promoting, marketing, storing, transporting or packaging of settlement products into the Palestinian market, providing any service or offering any benefit for settlements along with their products is prohibited.”

K.F./T.R.