The ICLA Gaza Assists Farmers with the First Ever Gaza Spice ExportNot only is Israel steadily increasing the amounts of goods that can be exported from Gaza, but Israel even gave Gaza farmers the seeds and worked with them throughout the entire growing process.
In addition to the usual exported agricultural goods- peppers, a variety of tomatoes, strawberries and flowers, for the very first time, Gaza farmers are exporting spices.
This represents a significant accomplishment for Gaza farmers and merchants, as the average revenue per spice truck is roughly 40,000 NIS, compared with approximately 25,000 NIS per truck with other produce.
The entire project was initiated by the ICLA Gaza [Israeli Coordination and Liaison Adminstration for the Gaza Strip] and coordinated with the Khan Younis Association and the Arava Export Growers as part of the continuous support for agricultural development in the Gaza Strip.
Farmers in Gaza were given tutorials on how to grow spices and they were then provided the seedlings from Israel. This morning, Sunday, 21 October 2012, the inaugural export through Kerem Shalom proved a success. Special arrangements at the crossing were made to accommodate the needs of the exported spices, including capabilities to perform refrigerated quality and security inspections.
Even though this is only one truck, (carrying 9 packages, roughly one ton) it holds a significant amount of product. Furthermore, the spice export via Kerem Shalom will continue throughout the season. Last year agricultural exports from Gaza totaled some 460 tons of strawberry, 160 tons of tomatoes, 58 tons of peppers and 8.8 million units of flowers. The spices will be exported to the European market.
Here is more proof that no one in Israel wants to "collectively punish" Gazans, just that they do not want to help the terrorists who run the sector. Given the chance, Israel will work directly with Gazan farmers, furniture and clothing manufacturers to help them export their goods.
Understandably, Israel doesn't want to import the goods themselves; "Made in Gaza" is not exactly a selling point to a nation that sees regular incitement and promises to destroy it. Somehow the world doesn't quite get that Israelis aren't keen to indirectly fund the next rocket that flies towards a Sderot kindergarten. But at the same time, Israelis are not anti-Arab as the haters like to pretend.
Which is why you won't see this story in the anti-Israel far left websites, unless they somehow find a way to twist it .
By the way, we're coming up to one full year since Juan Cole claimed that Israel allows "zero" exports from Gaza - and one full year since he has refused to correct his lie.
(h/t Omri)