Israel suspends meetings with EU over settlement labeling

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Brussels • Israel's deputy foreign minister says the government will suspend a series of ongoing meetings with the European Union to protest the EU's decision to begin labeling exports from West Bank settlements.

Tzipi Hotovely said Wednesday that Israel was sending a "very strong message" of displeasure.

"We say you can't be involved in what is going on in the Middle East while you are taking such an extreme step of labeling products... boycotting us," she told Channel 2 TV.

Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said Israel would suspend a series of regular dialogues on political issues in the Middle East, human rights and international organizations.

He said the suspension would likely be temporary.