Israel bans the export of Palestinian agricultural products

Pressure from economic restrictions: Israel counteracts Palestinian import ban on agricultural products with its own boycott. The farmers on both sides are suffering.
Jerusalem (dpa) - Israel has banned the export of agricultural products from the Palestinian Territories as of Sunday. It is reacting to an import ban on Israeli calves by the Palestinian Authority (PA), the competent authority said.

This is bad for Israeli ranchers. Until further notice, the Palestinians will no longer be able to export their products via the Allenby Bridge on the border with Jordan.

Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett had already banned agricultural products from the Palestinian Territories to Israel earlier this month. In return, the Authority stopped importing other Israeli products such as fruit, vegetables and water bottles.

"The moment the Palestinian Authority withdraws its decision to harm the cattle trade with Israel and the free market - the situation will normalize again," said the Cogat statement on Sunday. Israel controls the import and export of the Palestinian Territories, for example on the border with Jordan.

A Palestinian boycott of Israeli calf and sheep imports had already started in September last year. The Palestinians mainly produce for their own market, but also deliver to Israel, including cucumbers and tomatoes.

A spokesman for the Palestinian Authority confirmed last October that it wanted to break away from Israel economically. They will “continue to try to replace Israeli products with Arab alternatives”.

The Palestinian leadership had announced in October 2018 that, given the slowdown in the peace process, Israel would be deprived of its status as a state and would end all cooperation. This affected security as well as the economy, the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said at the time.

Israel conquered the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in 1967 during the Six Day War. The Palestinians are demanding these areas for a state of Palestine.