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Israel called a South African Cabinet decision to mandate special labels on goods from West Bank settlements "racist" and "unacceptable."

Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Wednesday saying the decision "brings to mind ideas of a racist nature which the government of South Africa, more than any other, should have wholly rejected."

The ministry called the measure "blatant discrimination based on national and political distinction. ... 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."

Danny Ayalon, Israel's deputy foreign minister, said the South African Cabinet decision shows it remains "an apartheid state," The Jerusalem Post said. The ministry plans to summons the South African ambassador for clarifications, the newspaper said.

Israel's criticism is in response to South Africa approving a plan requiring labels on products from West Bank settlements so they don't read "made in Israel," the Post said.

A statement issued by the Cabinet said it had "approved that a notice in terms of the Consumer Protection Act, 2008, be issued by the minister of Trade and Industry requiring... >>>