Israel imported its first fruit and vegetables from the Gaza Strip in almost eight years, in a partial easing of an economic blockade maintained since the Islamist group Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory. Israeli authorities have allowed a limited number of produce to be exported by Gaza into Israel for the first time in nearly a decade.
Palestinian officials said that approximately 27 tons of tomatoes and five tons of eggplant were cleared to enter Israel. COGAT, the military agency that handles Gaza civilian affairs, said other vegetables will later be marketed along with the tomatoes and eggplants.
It said about 1,500 tons of Gaza produce are expected monthly, with each ton valued at about US$770. Seventeen farmers sent produce samples to Israel for tests and only nine of them met Israeli standards, the Gaza Agriculture Ministry said.
The produce will be exported with the name of the farmer stamped in Arabic and English on the boxes under a "Product of Gaza" line. The Palestinians welcomed the move, though the scale fell short of the some 3,300 tonnes they said they had previously exported to Israel monthly.
The easing of restrictions coincides with the seventh-year sabbatical, called "shmita" in Hebrew, which began last fall. During that time, according to the Bible, Israeli farmers must give their lands a rest.
