Europe: Historically, labelling Jews as such has significant, overwhelming and unambiguously anti-semitic cultural meaning

This comment (screen shot) was left @ Politico following an article about "the decision to label settlement goods" which "causes friction within the bloc and strains ties with a staunch ally".  

Clockmed: "We should exterminate all Jews everywhere"

Reader Sebastian makes some interesting points on the comments section.  They are worth noting:

After all, Israel’s arguments that it is being singled out for labelling solely because it is Jewish. This is exacerbated by the fact that historically, labelling Jews as such has significant, overwhelming and unambiguously anti-semitic cultural meaning from the perspective of virtually all Jews.

Personally, I would be happy if all occupied territories around the world were labelled as such, but the fact that the EU is “technically” now in a situation of apartheid by treating the Israeli people as second class citizens under the law, it is impossible for me to ever see this anger by Israel going away.

The EU seems to be calculating that they will take a bit of flack from Israel and things will get back to normal. I think they have massively massively underestimated the cultural significance and outright seriousness of their actions. I can’t see Israelis or any government they elect ever letting this one go.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 4:03 PM CET

The only difference is that neither Morroco nor Turkey are Jewish states and the Turks and Moroccans affected are not Jewish. That and that alone (directly or indirectly) is why Morroco and Turkey have never been threatened with labelling. You want more examples world wide. I believe there are about 200 of them.

Posted on 1/5/16 | 3:41 PM CET

Israel signed an FTA with the EU that makes a clear distinction between Israel and Israeli-occupied territories. Nobody forced it to. That is why Cyprus and the Sahara are totally irrelevant in this context. Turkey and Morocco are not violating the obligations they voluntarily undertook viz. the EU. Israel is.”

Livni did it because she was forced too. The EU has never attempted to force such terms on Morrocco or Turkey or China or anybody else exploiting disputed or occupied territories. [...] 

The difference now is that this discrimination has entered into EU law as it is actually implemented in practice, which now means the EU is technically in a state of apartheid.

Posted on 1/6/16 | 11:05 AM CET

Sadly someone left this comment: