Gaza’s Hamas-run agriculture ministry
threatened on Monday to stop importing Israeli
fruit to the Palestinian territory in response to
what it said was vegetable exports being blocked.
The warning came months after a 50-day bloody
conflict between Israel and militants in the Gaza
Strip, leaving the enclave in humanitarian and
economic crisis.
“If Israel doesn’t reverse its decision to halt the
export of Palestinian agricultural produce… we will
ban the entry of fruit” from Israel, a ministry
statement said.
It said Israel on Sunday refused to let through the
Kerem Shalom goods crossing some 12 trucks
destined for the West Bank and Jordan and
carrying 135 tonnes of vegetables worth $149,000
(120,000 euros).
Gaza has been choked by an eight-year blockade
which Israel imposed after Hamas kidnapped one
of its soldiers in a cross-border raid.
The Jewish state controls two of the tiny coastal
territory’s three crossings — Kerem Shalom in the
south and the Erez personnel crossing in the
north. Egypt controls the third crossing at Rafah
in the south.
After the Gaza war ended on August 26, the
international community, including the
International Monetary Fund, urged Israel to
loosen the blockade to allow in crucial
humanitarian aid and to revive the ailing
economy.
Israel has allowed a small amount of construction
material into Gaza to help rebuild some of the
tens of thousands of homes destroyed by air
strikes and artillery, but has not palpably eased
the blockade.
The export of farm produce is a key source of
income for Gaza, home to 1.8 million Palestinians.
Exports from Gaza currently stand at around 2
percent of what they were before the blockade.
For the first time since 2006, Israel recently
allowed a tonne of fish and crabs and 10 tonnes
of cucumbers to be sent to the West Bank.
Like This Article? Please Like Us On FACEBOOK
No comments:
Post a Comment