Palestinian government asks Benetton not to open factory in settlement

Palestinian Minster of Information and Culture Yasser Abed Rabbo asked the Italian Benetton company against opening a factory in an Israeli settlement, urging the Arab states to pressure the company to stop such a step.

Abed Rabbo denounced the intention of the Kappa Company affiliated to Benetton opening a factory in a settlement in the West Bank. "The intention disclosed by Kappa, a subsidiary of Benetton, to open a factory in Barkan settlement implies a recognition to the validity of this settlement and other settlements, at a time when it has been internationally recognized that the existence of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories constitutes a flagrant violation to the principles of the international law and the Geneva Fourth Convention," a Palestinian government Press Release said.

Abed Rabbo also considered that Benetton's step of manufacturing its products in a Jewish settlement means giving the settlers "incentive and encouragement for Jewish settlers to loot more Palestinian land for the construction of joint venture projects and depriving its indigenous Palestinian owners from the right of cultivating their own properties."

He emphasized that the Italian company does not have the right to establish investments in occupied Palestinian lands, especially as the settlements will be one of the main causes that will be negotiated in final status negotiations.