From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Food rescue organization launches petition to support farmers from Gaza border area
Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Leket, a not-for-profit organization that rescues food that would otherwise be thrown away and distributes it to those in need, launches an online petition to draw attention to the plight of farmers from the Gaza border area and southern Israel.
They produce 75 percent of all produce grown in the country, Leket says.
The organization hits out at the government for its decision to cut 12% of the Agriculture Ministry’s 2024 budget, saying it will “directly impact tens of thousands of farmers who need immediate assistance.”
“It would be expected that during this critical period, Israeli farmers would receive government support and a long-term plan for rehabilitation, but this is not the case,” it says.
Leket has worked for 21 years with farmers and says they have been the largest donors of food (surplus crops) to the organization and in turn to vulnerable Israelis.
