Mike Pompeo makes historic visit to Judea/Samaria winery
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's made a very significant visit to the Psagot winery:
Pompeo also got an ancient coin from the Binyamin mountains:
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday visited an Israeli winery in the West Bank, becoming the first secretary of state to ever visit a Jewish settlement in a move that drew Palestinian protesters to demonstrate and throw stones at soldiers outside the winery.And that's a very good thing. Recognition of Israel and its regions has to be made clear is entirely valid, and that antisemitic movements cannot dictate how the country's products can/will be sold and marketed.
The visit was followed by an announcement by Pompeo the U.S. will permit imports from Israeli settlements to be labelled “Made in Israel” or “Product of Israel.”
Pompeo also got an ancient coin from the Binyamin mountains:
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Binyamin today. During his visit to the Psagot Winery, Yaakov Berg, the owner of the winery, gave him an ancient coin from the period of the Great Revolt against Rome in the first century CE. An identical coin was found in an ancient cave near the Psagot Winery. The ancient coin is decorated with an amphora, a vessel for making wine.He's also made clear the US stands with Israel:
Stores of wine belonging to the Jewish community of Second-Temple area Judea and Samaria were also found in the caves alongside the coin.
Berg told Pompeo that "this coin symbolizes more than anything our return home to the land of our ancestors, a place where after 2000 years Jews are again growing vineyards from which fine wine is made."
Binyamin Regional Council chairman Yisrael Gantz said: "Pompeo thrilled us with a state and historic visit that expressed the commitment and friendship between the settlement and Israel's friends in the United States and the US administration. This friendship is based on ancient history and shared values. We thank the administration for standing by the good of the State of Israel, the Jewish people and the Holy Land."
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dismissed the criticism leveled at him on the left following his visit to Psagot Winery and his statement that products from Judea and Samaria would be marked "Made in Israel."Pompeo set an excellent example, and let's hope future generations of politicians will follow it.
"Unfortunately, Psagot Winery and other businesses have been harmed as a result of EU funding efforts that form the basis of the boycott of Israeli companies. The United States stands by Israel and will not tolerate any form of delegitimization," Pompeo said.
In an official statement issued earlier, he wrote that "the State Department has created new guidelines to ensure that the country of origin of goods in the Israeli-Palestinian context is in line with US foreign policy. Therefore, all manufacturers exporting goods to us from Judea and Samaria".
"This approach recognizes reality and does not change the commitment to lasting peace as per President Trump's vision. We will continue to oppose those countries and international institutions that de-legitimize or punish Israel and Israeli manufacturers in Judea and Samaria using malicious measures that do not recognize the reality on the ground."
The Yesha Council thanked Secretary Pompeo for his declarations and his visit. "We welcome the important declaration of Secretary of State Pompeo. For many years, the products of Israeli settlement have been delegitimized and the decision made is an important milestone in the fight against the international boycott and BDS. In this decision, the US administration says that there is no place for anti-Semitic and anti-Israel organizations."
"We thank Secretary of State Pompeo and the US administration for the important decision, which recognizes the reality on the ground that Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley are an integral part of the State of Israel and backs the struggle against boycott organizations. "Contribute to the Israeli economy and technological progress in Israel," they added.
Labels: anti-americanism, anti-semitism, Europe, islam, Israel, State Dept, United States
