Smuggled strawberries from Gaza discovered in Jerusalem shuk
Israel Police in conjunction with Ministry of Agriculture supervisors discovered 250 kg. of contraband strawberries smuggled into Israel from the Gaza Strip for sale at four stalls in Jerusalem’s Mahaneh Yehuda Market. Staff at the stalls, all residents of Jerusalem, were arrested and will stand trial in the coming weeks. Their fruit was destroyed.
“On the face of it, the strawberries look like the rest of the strawberries that are allowed to be marketed and are in the refrigerators of our homes,” said an Agriculture Ministry statement. “But it is important to understand that there is a clear danger to anyone eating fruits and vegetables that are not under our supervision. The Ministry’s inspectors work to ensure that the source of the fruits and vegetables sold in Israel are supervised. We will continue to act vigilantly to prevent such attempts.”
Agricultural Products Marketing Law regulations require that all harvested products sold to the public be inspected and approved for an acceptable level of pesticide residue. The regulations are meant to prevent cholera being spread by irrigation with unclean water.
Aside from the risk to public health posed by the non-inspected fruit, Israel and Egypt have prohibited the import, sale and distribution of any product originating in the blockaded coastal enclave since 2007 when Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip.
Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.