Israeli group urges Brexit over EU West Bank policies

An Israeli pro-settlement group is campaigning for Britain to leave the EU to punish it for what it says is its pro-Palestinian stance, one of its officials says on Sunday.

Regavim is a right-wing NGO that supports Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Its campaign includes a mock video of a masked Palestinian terrorist purportedly from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip urging UK citizens to remain in the European Union because it supports the Palestinians.

It also highlights EU financing of Palestinian structures in the West Bank.

Meir Deutsch, director of policy and government relations for Regavim, says the NGO wanted to harm the EU over its “intervention in the internal conflict here between Israel and the Palestinians.”

The mock video posted by Regavim on its campaign website shows masked militants with the logo of Hamas’ armed wing, the Izz a-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and in the background a line in English that reads: “Hamas wants UK to stay in the EU.

A male voiceover is then heard delivering a statement in British English in which he praises the EU for carrying out construction projects in the West Bank.

“If you truly hate Isra-Hell and the Jews and want to support our struggle, help Britain to stay in the EU,” it says.

The voiceover also praised a recent European directive to label produce from Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.

Deutsch calls the EU’s actions “one-sided and anti-Israel, in the marking of products as well and paying salaries of terrorists.”

“We think they should be acting in a more balanced way. As long as that is not happening, we want the EU to be damaged.”

Deutsch says the campaign is aimed at dual Israeli-British nationals living in Israel, and “anyone who cares for Israel” in the UK.

Britain’s EU referendum will be held on Thursday.

— AFP, Times of Israel staff