By Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom via JNS) – Israeli farmers from Judea and Samaria, the Golan ‎Heights and the Jordan Valley have decided to combat ‎boycott efforts more strongly by more aggressively ‎appealing to consumers. ‎Farmers living in these areas have seen their ‎marketing efforts in Europe suffer repeated blows ‎over the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) ‎movement’s calls for a consumer embargo on their ‎products, as part of the ‎organization’s efforts to delegitimize the Jewish ‎state, especially Jewish communities beyond the Green ‎Line.‎ Among other things, sales of such products have ‎suffered over the European Union’s demand to label ‎them as originating from beyond the Green Line.

So far, Israeli authorities and farmers‎ have tried ‎to deal with the problem by bypassing export ‎destinations in Western Europe ‎in favor of Eastern Europe and Russia. ‎Now, the farmers say it is time to “stop hiding.” ‎They plan to move the EU-required label – until now ‎made as small as possible – to the front of their ‎packaging and enlarge it.‎ They also plan to invite leaders of public opinion ‎from around the world to visit their facilities.‎ The new initiative is backed by Strategic Affairs ‎Minister Gilad Erdan, whose office oversees Israel’s ‎battle against the BDS movement.‎

Jordan Valley Regional Council head David Elhayani, ‎who is promoting this initiative, explained Sunday that ‎‎”the farmers’ losses have reached 100 million shekels ‎‎[$27 million] this year alone,” adding it was “time to do ‎something.”‎

The two-pronged initiative focuses on marketing and ‎public diplomacy. ‎“We’re already marketing ‎produce from the Jordan Valley around the world, and ‎we plan to push it even more in conferences in the ‎U.S. and Europe. From past experience, we know it ‎works,” Elhayani said. ”People like our dates, and when they taste them and ‎hear our stories about reality on the ground, we can ‎reach them above the leaders’ heads,” he said.‎