Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture says it’s been ordered by the “political echelon” to allow Gazan strawberries into Israel for sale in the Israeli market, in addition to the tomatoes and eggplant that are already being shipped from the coastal enclave into Israel.
The strawberries still require import approval by health inspectors, the ministry says.
The ministry statement explains the decision as a price-cutting measure, possibly to suggest it is not related to Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks.
“The price of strawberries in Israel is very high right now,” the ministry statement says. “The entry of [Gazan] strawberries into Israel is expected to significantly lower the consumer price of strawberries.”
The order to allow Gazan strawberries into Israel comes a day after Israel’s security cabinet met for several hours Sunday to consider a broad easing of the blockade in exchange for a reduction in the rate and size of the weekly protests at the Israel-Gaza border fence, and Hamas’s agreement to act aggressively to prevent rocket fire by terror groups toward Israeli territory.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 30, 2019
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