Tomatoes as a security risk

Farmers of Tubas march to the Bardalla checkpoint

Today, at 12: oo AM farmers of the Tubas region will hold their third march to the Bardalla checkpoint. This checkpoint has served as the only venue where Palestinian farmers could sell their produce to Israeli traders for distribution. The fertile agricultural land of the Tubas region has served as the villager’s only source of income for many generations. For the last two months the checkpoint has been closed to the farmers produce and the region faces an agricultural and economic catastrophe.

Ahmed Sawaft Director of PARC (Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees) in Tubas warns: “If this closure continues entire villages and their traditional way of life will be devastated. With no hope of distributing their goods the farmers of Tubas region have not planted their fields for the next season.”

The villages of Bardalla, Ein Al Beda, Cardalla and Wade Al Malachi are in an enclave in the Jordan Valley. The only entry and exit point to this enclave is the Tayaseer checkpoint. In recent months anyone who is not registered on their Israeli-issued I.D. card as from these villages or has a limited-time permit is forbidden to enter by the Israeli military.

For more information:
Ismael: 059 924 0247 (Arabic and English)
ISM media office: 02 297 1824