Gaza, Alray - The European Union put off plans to label for products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Haaretz newspaper reported.

Haaretz said US Secretary of State John Kerry intervened with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton at Israel's request.

EU foreign ministers, including Britain's William Hague and Laurent Fabius of France, told AFP last month they would vote for the labelling move.

Signatories also included the chief diplomats of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including annexed Arab east Jerusalem, are illegal under international law. Goods produced in them are not eligible for the same preferential tariffs enjoyed by Israeli exports to the EU.

According to 2012 World Bank figures, the EU imports 230 million euros ($300 million) of goods a year from Israeli settlements, or 15 times more than from Palestinians themselves.