PA welcomes South Africa settlements decision

The new Palestinian Authority cabinet on Tuesday welcomed South Africa's decision to label products originating in illegal Israeli settlements, and called for protection against settlers. South Africa plans to ban labeling products of Israeli settlements as "made in Israel," officials said over the weekend. In Ramallah, the PA cabinet said it welcomed South Africa's decision as "a sign indicating the illegitimacy of settlements and their products." The cabinet "calls upon the rest of world states to take such measures in order to isolate the occupation and its settlement policies as well as compel Israel to abide by international law," a statement said. Ministers said the West Bank and East Jerusalem were witnessing "an escalation in incitement and settler violence against our people with a clear protection from the occupation military." "The last of which was the thousands of settler march in East Jerusalem which included slogans inciting to kill, hate and supports violence," the cabinet statement said. On Sunday, an Israeli human rights group released footage of settlers firing on a Nablus village, and called on Israel's military to investigate the assailants, as well as the army's role. The settlers were shown entering Asira al-Qibliya and throwing rocks at properties in the village, which borders Yitzhar settlement, before the arrival of Israeli forces. In the ensuing clashes one person was shot in the neck and another was hurt by a rock.