Opening of the 6th Grape Marketing Days and Women’s Products in Al-Khader City

Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hassan Abdel Jawad - The sixth marketing days for grapes and women's products were launched in the city of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem. The days are organized by the Al-Khader Municipality, in cooperation with the Bethlehem Agriculture Directorate, the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Agricultural Relief in the governorate, in light of the strict occupation measures and the settlement attack on grape farmers. The activities of the grape marketing days were inaugurated by Bethlehem Governor Mohammed Taha Abu Alia, in the presence of the Mayor of Al-Khader, Lawyer Ahmed Salah, Dr. Samir Hazboun, Head of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Engineer Samah Abu Heikal, Director of Bethlehem Agriculture, Ziad Salah, Director of Agricultural Relief in Beit Lajam Governorate, and the participation of thirty grape farmers, many women's associations, and a crowd of citizens. The exhibition pavilions included a display of all types of grapes: 'Halwani, Zaini Beiruti, Halwani Shami, Dabouqi, Jandali, Baytouni, Marawi', while others included a display of home products such as pickles of all kinds, molasses, malban, vinegar, thyme, and others. Governor Abu Alia said that the grape marketing days come under difficult circumstances in which grape farmers are subjected to strict measures by occupation soldiers and continuous attacks by settlers on farmers' vineyards and lands. He stressed that the partnership between the institutions concerned with farmers aims to support them and enhance their steadfastness. Abu Alia called on official and non-governmental institutions to provide support to farmers in the governorate, to back them, and to stand by them in the face of the challenges and settlement risks that threaten their agricultural lands, which express a systematic and deliberate policy that aims to pressure farmers to leave their lands. Lawyer Salah addressed the extent of the challenges and difficulties facing farmers in the city of Al-Khader, pointing to the occupatio n's measures and the settlers' almost daily attacks on agricultural lands. He pointed out that 60% of the grape crop and vineyards are located behind the wall or adjacent to the settlements, which doubles the risks facing farmers, adding that the marketing days organized annually by the Al-Khader Municipality and local partners aim to enable grape farmers to market their products and support their steadfastness on their land. Dr. Hazboun said that the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry gives priority to grape farmers during this season every year, in cooperation with partner institutions, and provides support to farmers to enhance their steadfastness in their land and help them face challenges, especially in light of the high unemployment rate and the systematic aggressive settlement attack that farmers are exposed to in the countryside of the governorate. Abu Heikal said that farmers in the countryside of Bethlehem Governorate are prevented from reaching their agricultural lands, due to the closur e of agricultural roads and the occupation's military checkpoints, and vineyards are exposed to uprooting and vandalism by settlers. She stressed that the Ministry of Agriculture works throughout the year to follow up on farmers' issues and solve the problems they face, and provides support to farmers by providing necessary guidance and assistance, but the challenges are great. She pointed out that the total area of ??grape trees in Bethlehem Governorate is about 15 thousand dunams, 35% of which the occupation prevents its owners from accessing. She stressed that the occupation imposes strict restrictions on the entry and arrival of fertilizers, pesticides and spare parts for maintenance purposes for farmers in the Palestinian territories, which leads to an increase in their costs. The Director of Agricultural Relief stressed the importance of organizing grape marketing days in the city of Al-Khader, especially in light of the farmers being prevented from reaching their agricultural lands and the major cha llenges they face. He pointed out that the marketing days will last for three days, and it is expected that 15 tons of grapes will be marketed, which will contribute to supporting farmers and reducing the damage caused to this product as a result of settlers' attacks on agricultural lands. Farmer Mohammed Ibrahim said that his land in the Zaqandah area of ??Faour, which is planted with grapes, has been subjected to repeated attacks by settlers over the past two weeks, as they uprooted the gate and fence surrounding his land and stole the grape crop. His son Ibrahim, 14, said that the occupation soldiers prevented him from reaching his land and forced him to return to the town. Source: Maan News Agency