Wine "made in Israel" exported to the United Arab Emirates

Audio 02:30

Yaacov Berg, owner of the Psâgot vineyard.

© RFI / Sami Boukhelifa

By: Sami Boukhelifa Follow

6 min

The Psâgot vineyard is located in an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian territories.

For nearly 20 years, its production has been exported to the four corners of the world and in recent days, bottles of wine labeled “made in Israel” have also been flown to the United Arab Emirates.

Publicity

From our correspondent in Jerusalem,

 Beezrat Hashem

 ”, “ 

thank God

 ” in Hebrew, production is running at full speed, rejoices Naama Berg, owner with her husband of the Psâgot vineyard. 

“We are 

exporting all over the world.

Our wine is kosher and our standards are very high.

I know it doesn't mean anything to Arab countries, but Jewish tourists who go there will be happy to find kosher wine in hotels in Abu Dhabi and Dubai,

 ”says Naama Berg.

Founded in 2002, the estate produces 3,000 bottles in the first year and continues to grow.

750,000 bottles per year today.

The extension is on Palestinian land.

Growth fully assumed by Yaacov Berg, the owner.

He opens the doors of his cellar to us.

“ 

Everyone knows history, everyone knows that we are here in Israel, our motherland.

We were here

4000 years ago.

We prayed to come back here, so how can we dare say that we have nothing to do on our land?

 », Says Yaacov Berg. 

A cuvée tribute to Donald Trump

Amidst his oak barrels, Yaacov blesses the Trump administration every day.

Last November he even received Mike Pompeo.

An unprecedented visit for an American Secretary of State to a colony.

To pay tribute to him, a cuvée now bears his name.

It will soon be available in the United Arab Emirates.   

“ 

For us President Trump is a real hero.

You know, he's a brilliant businessman.

He said, “

Do you want to sit down and chat and have a fight?

So do, I have no time to waste!

But if you want to do business: deal!

”And so, together with the Emirati people we decided to move forward.

And it's not just about selling them wine.

We are going to accomplish so much together, 

”says Yaacov.

Wine from the Pompeo cuvée, named in honor of the former US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.

© RFI / Sami Boukhelifa

About thirty Arab employees

Perched on a hill, the Pasgot vineyard faces a Palestinian village.

Yaacov Berg says he employs around 30 of his Arab neighbors.

" 

From a historical point of view, the presence of the Palestinians is quite recent in these lands, so they are the new arrivals, but that's okay, we accept them… and if we succeed, they succeed,

 " said -he.

Then he added, “ 

I pay my Palestinian workers three times as much as they could earn across the street in their towns.

Why can't we just live together?

 "

This argument is also used by the UAE to justify their trade with illegal settlements in the eyes of the international community.

The head of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry explains: Importing products from the settlements will boost the Palestinian economy. 

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  • Israel

  • Palestinian territories

  • United Arab Emirates