Iceland's capital to boycott Israeli products

Reykjavik's council approved a motion Tuesday to halt the city's purchase of Israeli products "as long as the occupation of Palestinian territories continues." The motion was put forward by Björk Vilhelmsdóttir, councilwoman for the Social Democratic Alliance. She is retiring from politics, and putting this motion forward was her last major act in the city council.

A member of the governing coalition at the city hall, Sóley Tómasdóttir, told Icelandic public broadcaster RUV that the boycott is a symbolic decision, intended to pressure Israel to stop the occupation. She also said the city might follow it up with boycotts of other countries that violate human rights.

Israel's Foreign Ministry's spokesman, Emanuel Nachson said in response that "A volcano of hatred is erupting in Reykjavik's city council building. There is no reason or justification for this move, besides hate itself, which is being heard in the form of calls for a boycott against Israel, the Jewish state. We hope that someone in Iceland will wake up and stop this blindness and one-sidedness which is aimed against the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel."

Some Israelis were taking to social media to comment on the decision, however most of them didn't take it seriously and were mainly mocking the "meaningless" move, saying they will ban cod fish in return.

"It will be hard," this user noted. "I will miss the fluffy texture. The rich taste. The two-for-one sales. But Icelanders should learn not to mess with us! In the trash! Right away!"

Settlements 'impediment to peace'

Israel is also up in arms against a push by European Union nations to label products from its settlements, a move it considers equivalent to a boycott.

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are already seen as illegal under international law as well as a threat to the Middle East peace process by eroding the basis for a future Palestinian state.

Not everyone is in favor of the Icelandic move, however. Einar Gautur Steingrímsson, a Reykjavik-based lawyer, has told the local news site visir.is that the boycott goes against Iceland's constitution. "This is as illegal as refusing to do business with red haired people and it makes no difference whether they justify their decision with references to some alleged actions by the Israelis."

According to Iceland Magazine, the decision doesn't have binding legal power, nor does it ban the sale of Israeli products in the city or in Iceland. "It only applies to purchases by the city and its agencies. Israeli manufactured goods and products will continue to be sold in Reykjavik stores," it was reported.