VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHJMA #0869 1311225
ZNR UUUUU ZZH ZUI RUEWMCF2424 1311236
O 111225Z MAY 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC0000
INFO ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000869 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR 
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS; 
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/HIRSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD PREL KWBG IS
SUBJECT: JENIN AND JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS FACE LOSSES DUE TO 
SPOILAGE, DENIED ENTRY, AND CUSTOMER NONPAYMENT 
 
REF: JERUSALEM 220 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  FARMERS FROM JENIN AND THE NORTHERN 
JORDAN VALLEY COMPLAIN THAT CHECKPOINT DELAYS, MISHANDLING OF 
PRODUCE, LIMITED CROSSING HOURS, AND LACK OF TRAVEL 
PRIVILEGES TO ISRAEL ADVERSELY AFFECT LOCAL AGRICULTURAL 
TRADE.  JENIN FARMERS ALSO COMPLAIN THAT ISRAELI AUTHORITIES 
ARBITRARILY USE LABORATORY TESTS TO PREVENT ENTRY OF 
PALESTINIAN PRODUCTS.  THE JIFTLIK FARMERS UNION SAID THESE 
PROCEDURES HAVE LED TO A LOSS OF 50 PERCENT OF PRODUCE SALES 
FROM THE NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY, DUE TO SPOILAGE, DUMPING, OR 
NONPAYMENT.  THEY ALSO WANT THE BISAN/BARDALA CROSSING TO 
OPEN AT 4 AM SO THEY CAN REACH ISRAELI PRODUCE MARKETS BEFORE 
SHOPPERS ARRIVE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) ON APRIL 16 IN JENIN, USAID'S PALESTINIAN 
INTEGRATED TRADE ARRANGEMENT (PITA) PROJECT CONTRACTORS MET 
SAADEH IRSHID, OWNER OF 500 ACRES OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE 
FARMS NEAR JENIN AND IN THE JORDAN VALLEY; ADNAN JARADAT, AN 
AGRICULTURAL EXPORT BROKER; IBRAHIM HADDAD, MANAGER OF A 
FARMING EQUIPMENT FACTORY; AND JENIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
REPRESENTATIVE NASER ATIANI.  PITA CONTRACTORS ALSO MET APRIL 
25 WITH OMAR ABU HANIEH, HEAD OF THE JIFTLIK FARMERS UNION, 
AND EIGHT OTHER PRODUCE FARMERS FROM THE NORTHERN JORDAN 
VALLEY. 
 
SPOILAGE AND NON-TARIFF BARRIERS CURTAIL 
JENINS AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) ACCORDING TO THE JENIN-AREA BUSINESSMEN, TRUCKS 
OFTEN WAIT TO TRANSFER GOODS TO ISRAEL AT CROSSINGS FOR TWO 
TO THREE HOURS IN THE MID-DAY SUN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO 
THEIR PRODUCE.  ECONOFF VISITED THE JALAMEH CROSSING, JUST 
NORTH OF JENIN, ON MAY 3 AND OBSERVED THAT ALL GOODS, 
INCLUDING PRODUCE, MUST BE PALLETIZED AND TRANSFERRED 
BACK-TO-BACK.  NEITHER THE CROSSINGQPARKING LOTS NOR THE 
TRANSFER AREAS FOR GOODS ARE SHADED. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) THE BUSINESSMEN FEARED THAT DELAYS COULD WORSEN AS 
THE SEASONAL HARVEST PEAKS IN THE JENIN AREA, WHEN 1,700 
TRUCKS OF CUCUMBERS FROM THE NORTHERN WEST BANK NEED TO REACH 
ISRAELI PICKLE FACTORIES IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.  (NOTE: 
THE HEAD OF THE TRUCK DRIVERS' UNION IN JENIN SAID THAT 
OPERATING HOURS OF THE JALAMEH CROSSING HAVE BEEN EXTENDED BY 
THREE HOURS DAILY DURING CUCUMBER SEASON.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) THE BUSINESSMEN ADDED THAT ISRAELI AUTHORITIES 
REQUIRE ADVANCE TESTING IN ISRAELI LABORATORIES OF SAMPLES OF 
FRESH PRODUCE THAT PALESTINIAN FARMERS INTEND TO EXPORT. 
THEY CLAIMED THAT THIS PROCEDURE IS USED ARBITRARILY TO 
PROTECT ISRAELI AGRICULTURE BY DENYING ENTRY TO PALESTINIAN 
PRODUCE.  JARADAT MENTIONED THAT ONE OF HIS PALESTINIAN 
CUCUMBER SUPPLIERS SENT IN THREE DIFFERENT SAMPLES FROM THE 
SAME FIELD FOR TESTING, AND TWO OF THE THREE SAMPLES WERE 
REJECTED.  THE BUSINESSMEN REQUESTED THAT AN ON-SITE 
LABORATORY BE BUILT AT JALAMEH CROSSING TO IMPROVE 
TRANSPARENCY AND REDUCE WAIT TIMES FOR RESULTS. 
 
HALF OF NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY PRODUCE GOES TO WASTE 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) ABU HANIEH SAID THAT TRUCK DRIVERS FROM THE JORDAN 
VALLEY SOMETIMES DO NOT LEARN THAT THEIR SHIPMENTS HAVE 
FAILED THE LABORATORY TESTS UNTIL THEY ARRIVE AT THE 
CROSSING.  HE ADDED THAT THEY ARE THEN FORCED TO DUMP THEIR 
GOODS ON THE GROUND. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) THE JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS ASSERTED THAT 50 PERCENT 
OF PRODUCE SALES FROM THE NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY ARE LOST, 
DUE TO SPOILAGE, DUMPING, OR NONPAYMENT BY ISRAELI CUSTOMERS. 
 THEY EXPLAINED THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ISRAELI 
CUSTOMERS NEVER PAY FOR THE PRODUCE THEY RECEIVE, CLAIMING 
BANKRUPTCY OR SIMPLY REFUSING TO ANSWER THEIR PHONES.  THEY 
OBSERVED THAT VERY FEW FARMERS CAN GET BUSINESSMAN CARDS 
(BMCS) OR PERMITS TO ENTER ISRAEL, AND SO THEY HAVE NO WAY TO 
SEEK LEGAL RECOURSE IN ISRAEL.  PITA CONTRACTORS SAID THAT 
THIS PHENOMENON AFFECTS THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR ACROSS ALL 
GOVERNORATES, AND THEY ARE BEGINNING TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE 
LEGAL REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO PALESTINIANS. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) IRSHID STATED THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A 
PERMIT TO ACCESS HIS FARMLAND IN THE JORDAN VALLEY FOR TWO 
YEARS, AND NEITHER HAVE MANY OTHER JENIN-BASED FARMERS WHO 
 
 
HAPPEN TO OWN LAND IN THE JORDAN VALLEY.  IRSHID SAID HE HAS 
LEASED HIS JORDAN VALLEY LAND TO ANOTHER PRODUCER BECAUSE HE 
DOES NOT WANT THE LAND TO STAND IDLE. 
 
FARMERS WANT CROSSING HOURS TIMED TO THE MARKET 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) THE JORDAN VALLEY FARMERS COMPLAINED THAT THE 
BARDALA/BISAN CROSSING, DEDICATED TO AGRICULTURAL GOODS AND 
LOCATED IN THE NORTHERN JORDAN VALLEY (REFTEL), IS OPEN FROM 
11 AM UNTIL 4 PM AND WORKS ONLY HALF DAYS ON FRIDAYS.  (NOTE: 
 PITA CONTRACTORS LATER LEARNED THAT AS OF MAY 11, THE 
CROSSING WILL NO LONGER OPEN ON FRIDAYS.  END NOTE.)  FARMERS 
WOULD PREFER THE CROSSING TO OPEN AT 4 AM INSTEAD, SO THAT 
THEY COULD GET THEIR PRODUCE TO THE TEL AVIV MARKET BY 8 AM, 
WHEN CUSTOMERS FIRST ARRIVE. 
WALLES