Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Oded Forer has recently sparked controversy after he linked the importation of sweet potatoes from Gaza by the release of the captured Israeli soldiers.
The statements came after head of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party Yaakov Litzman appealed to Forer to allow the importation of sweet potatoes from the besieged Gaza Strip.
“I will not allow sweet potatoes to be imported from the Gaza Strip until our captured Israeli soldiers are released” he said.
The Israeli former minister Yaakov Litzman had earlier called for importing sweet potatoes from Gaza due to the severe shortage in Israel; however Forer linked its importation with the release of the Israeli soldiers captured by the Palestinian resistance.
Surprise decision
Spokesman for the Plant Production Department at the Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza Eng. Muhammad Abu Odeh expressed surprise over linking agricultural imports to a political issue.
He pointed out that between 800 and 1000 tons were exported annually and the rest was consumed in Gaza “but we were surprised by the Israeli decision to stop importing sweet potatoes from the Gaza Strip which led to a state of confusion in the markets.”
Sweet potato farming has recently increased in Gaza due to the Israeli high demand he added warning that the Israeli decision would inevitably lead to heavy losses for the farmers.
The move is not the first of its kind he remarked Israel is used to control the Gaza exports by closing its commercial crossing without a prior notice causing heavy losses.
Electoral propaganda
Researcher in Zionist affairs Ayman Al-Rafati said that the Israeli decision came as part of the Israeli electoral campaign propaganda stressing that the captured soldiers issue is very sensitive for the Israelis.
He also pointed out that Hebrew media outlets described the statement as “ridiculous.”
