Sweden and Golan wines

About a week ago Sweden's state controlled alcohol retail monopoly, Systembolaget, decided to label Israeli wines produced in the Golan as made in "Syrian occupied territory".

As brought in Ynet:
"Many of our customers believe that the Golan Heights do not belong to the State of Israel according to international law. we have approached the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm in order to consult about how to define the origin of the wine in our catalogue," a spokesman for the state company explained.

A furor erupted, and Systembolaget backed down, supposedly.

EJP reports that:

Sweden’s state-run wines and spirits monopoly Systembolaget has backtracked on a controversial policy to label some Israeli wines as coming from 'occupied territory'

I went to check.. and discovered that if until now Israeli wines were labeled as coming from "Israel" with a note by the Golan wines that they were from "Syrian occupied territory", now the Golan wines are in a category all by themselves: Övriga ursprung (other origin).

Systembolaget's explanation as to the chain of events can be found here (in Swedish).

List of Israeli wines and a separate list of Golan wines.

For more info you can contact Systembolaget's press department: Björn Rydberg - bjorn.rydberg@systembolaget.se

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