Nizar al-Wahedi of the Palestinian Agriculture Ministry said that the herbicides
were used along the border between the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian
territories on Sunday.
He said the Palestinian ministry was not aware of the composition of the Israeli
chemicals being sprayed on Palestinian farmlands.
"Israel has no right to spray herbicides on Palestinian lands,” Wahedi said.
Palestinian farmers say Israeli troops spray weed killers to dry wild plants
around security fences in order to have clear vision to watch the area, but they
usually spray dozens of meters around their targeted areas, killing and damaging
Palestinian crops.
The continuing Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip is putting the lives of people
at risk, taking a heavy toll on the enclave's agriculture sector.
Farmers are struggling to meet growing demands of 1.8 million Gazans who are
living in the tight grip of the Israeli siege. They face many challenges due to
shortages in farming equipment and more importantly, approved pesticides.
Due to the decline in production and Israel's ban on the entry of basic
commodities, Gazan farmers have resorted to the use of banned chemical
substances to maximize crop yield. This poses a serious health hazard to both
farmers and their consumers.
The United Nations has frequently expressed concerns over the excessive use of
toxic pesticides by Gaza farmers.
Many medical experts in Gaza are worried about a rise in the number of
registered Gazan cancer patients, especially in the agricultural areas.
They warn that children are more susceptible to diseases such as leukemia than
adults in such regions.
Gaza Strip has been under Israel’s blockade since June 2007. The crippling
siege has caused a decline in living standards as well as unprecedented levels
of unemployment and unrelenting poverty.
Israel launched its latest war on the Gaza Strip in early July 2014. Nearly
2,200 Palestinians, including 577 children, were killed in Israel’s 50-day
onslaught. Over 11,100 others – including 3,374 children, 2,088 women and 410
elderly people – were also injured.
Source:PRESSTV