Palestinian farmers suffer heavy losses inflicted by the Israeli siege

A Palestinian official report said that the siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians resulted in heavy losses inflicted on the Palestinian farmers estimated at USD 500 million since the eruption of the Palestinian Intifada on September 28th, 2000 until January 31st, 2002.

The report read that the losses resulting from the destruction of farms and plantations in the West bank and Gaza by the bulldozers of the Israeli forces are estimated at USD 138 million as these bulldozers uprooted 500,000 olive and fruit trees and killed 1500 heads of cattle.

The report which denounced the Israeli authorities destruction of irrigation networking and water wells, said that number of farmers who were damaged by these Israeli practices is estimated at 5213 farmers, besides that the siege which bans the Palestinian farmers from heading to their work place resulted in the reduction of exports and increase in the cost of the Palestinian agricultural produce.