The Palestinian Authority applauded South Africa on Thursday after its cabinet voted to distinguish goods made in the occupied West Bank from normal Israeli products.

Abdul Hafiz Nofal, the PA's deputy economy minister, said he thanked South Africa's ambassador for the decision to label settlement products as "Occupied Palestinian Territory" rather than "Israel."

"Giving those products a sign to distinguish them will prevent Israel from fabricating them as Israeli products rather than settlement products," Nofal told Ma'an.

He said the decision was important because it will make the products easier to tax and also indicate to consumers which products to boycott should they choose to exclude settlement goods.

The economy ministry has expressed its appreciation to the South African ambassador and indicated its readiness to provide authorities with information about settlement goods.

'Discrimination'

Israel, meanwhile, has blasted the decision as "blatant discrimination."

In a statement Wednesday, the foreign ministry said it was "without precedent, as no such measure has ever been adopted in South Africa or in any other country. It constitutes therefore a blatant discrimination based on national and political distinction."

It added: "Israel and South Africa have political differences, and that is legitimate. What is totally unacceptable is the use of tools which, by essence, discriminate and single out, fostering a general boycott. Such exclusion and discrimination bring to mind ideas of racist nature which the government of South Africa, more than any other, should have wholly rejected."

The ministry said South Africa's ambassador would be summoned Thursday to clarify the decision.