Targeting Agricultural Products: Israeli Defamation Campaigns to Achieve Political Goals

Mahmoud Fatafta: These claims are baseless and come within the context of the raging Israeli war on everything Palestinian, especially the agricultural sector.

Jamal Al-Deek: The Israeli defamation of Palestinian agricultural products represents a new stage in attempts to control the land and weaken citizens' attachment to it.

Abbas Melhem: These allegations are probably aimed at imposing the application of Israeli food law on the West Bank as part of escalating steps towards gradual annexation.

Munjed Abu Jaish: The primary goal of these allegations is to exert additional pressure on farmers, especially in Area C, where agricultural activity is concentrated.

Salah Haniyeh: Baseless claims that are not based on scientific foundations and aim to cause anxiety among consumers by promoting the idea that vegetables contain substances that may cause serious diseases.

Majdi Abdullah: Food safety files may be used as a competitive pressure tool, especially during seasons when competition for agricultural products is high.

Ramallah - Exclusive to "Al-Quds" -

At a time when the Palestinian agricultural sector is struggling to play an essential role in supporting the local economy, Israeli claims have emerged about the presence of pesticide residues in Palestinian vegetables, which has sparked a wide discussion about the objectives of these claims and their potential repercussions on farmers and markets.

Officials and agricultural specialists confirm, in separate interviews with "Al-Quds", that Palestinian agricultural production is subject to regular monitoring procedures and laboratory tests according to approved standards, while agriculture constitutes a main source of income and job opportunities, especially in rural areas and those classified as "C", which makes any targeting of this sector have direct economic and social effects, in addition to the existence of Israeli political goals in targeting the agricultural sector to impose a reality that pushes towards land migration to control it.

They believe that the recent Israeli campaign may have economic and political dimensions that go beyond the issue of food safety, as it is feared that it will lead to weakening consumer confidence in local products, and imposing restrictions on exports, which may negatively affect farmers, vegetable prices, and the stability of the Palestinian agricultural sector.

Agriculture: Israeli claims are baseless

The official spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, Mahmoud Fatafta, denies the validity of Israeli claims about the presence of toxic pesticide residues in Palestinian vegetables exported to Israeli markets, considering that these claims come within the context of the raging Israeli war on everything Palestinian, especially the agricultural sector, which represents one of the most important elements of citizens' steadfastness in their land.

Fatafta explains that the agricultural sector is continuously exposed to attacks by the occupation and settlers, as it is an extension of the Palestinian presence in the land, especially in the Jordan Valley, Masafer Yatta, and various agricultural areas, where agriculture is an essential means for farmers to remain on their lands.

Fatafta points out that Israeli attacks have varied between preventing access to agricultural lands, uprooting trees, preventing grazing in natural pastures, and confiscating and stealing sheep, but they have not deterred farmers from continuing their work, which prompted the occupation to target Palestinian agricultural products and try to undermine their reputation in local and international markets.

The political nature of these claims

Fatafta clarifies that Palestinian agricultural products have entered Israeli markets for many years without similar claims being recorded, noting that raising this issue came during a session of the Knesset Health Committee led by an extremist Knesset member, which reinforces the political nature of these claims, aimed at causing confusion and fighting the Palestinian economy, especially in light of declining job opportunities and agriculture being considered one of the most important remaining sources of income for citizens.

Strict monitoring procedures

Fatafta stresses that agricultural pesticides circulated in the Palestinian market are subject to strict monitoring procedures, and their entry is through crossings subject to Israeli control and Israeli approvals, which means that Palestinian agricultural products pass through a complex system of inspection and procedures, whether when introducing agricultural inputs or when exporting products.

Fatafta points out that the Ministry of Agriculture adopts a scientific system for monitoring pesticides through the Scientific Committee for Agricultural Pesticides, which is the authorized body to permit pesticides and their circulation, and which includes experts from universities, the private sector, and relevant ministries.

Reducing the number of permitted pesticides

Fatafta explains that the committee conducted scientific reviews that led to a reduction in the number of pesticides permitted for circulation in the Palestinian market from 538 pesticides to about 198 pesticides only, with the aim of enhancing the safety of agricultural products and eliminating any substances that may have an impact on human health.

Official requirements for export

Fatafta explains that the marketing or export of Palestinian agricultural products is subject to official requirements that include a certificate of origin, a health certificate, and import or export permits, which are mandatory documents without which no shipments can be passed.

Economic war linked to competition

Fatafta considers that what is happening represents an economic war linked to the competition between Palestinian and Israeli agricultural products, pointing out that Palestinian products have succeeded in reaching about 50 global markets directly and about 70 markets indirectly, and what is happening is a systematic Israeli attack aimed at harming Palestinian agricultural products.

Fatafta confirms that the Ministry continues to conduct periodic tests through its teams, in cooperation with other regulatory bodies such as the Ministry of Health, the Customs Police, and specialized agencies, to ensure the safety of agricultural products.

Fatafta stresses that there are no products designated for one market over another, as vegetables are produced from the same farms with the same water, pesticides, and fertilizers, whether for the local, Israeli, or international market.

Fatafta calls on citizens and the media to adopt the Ministry of Agriculture as an official reference regarding the safety of agricultural products, emphasizing the Ministry's keenness to protect the national economy and enhance citizens' confidence in local products, noting that Palestinian farmers are making great efforts to preserve their lands and continue agricultural production, especially in the Jordan Valley and threatened areas.

A broader incitement policy

The Secretary-General of the Palestinian Farmers' Union, Jamal Al-Deek, believes that Israeli claims about the presence of toxins in Palestinian vegetables fall within a broader incitement policy targeting everything Palestinian, including people, land, and agricultural products, stressing that these claims come within the framework of the continued siege policy imposed on the Palestinian people and attempts to intensify it.

Al-Deek explains that the incitement against Palestinian agricultural products represents an extension of the siege philosophy adopted by Israel in its dealings with the Palestinian people and Palestinian land, pointing out that the agricultural sector constitutes one of the main remaining outlets for Palestinians, which pushes the occupation to intensify pressure on farmers to force them out of the production and agricultural work cycle.

Attempts to empty the land of its owners

Al-Deek indicates that these policies essentially seek to empty the land of its owners, because leaving the land, in the Israeli concept, brings the Zionist project closer to achieving its goals.

Distinguished Palestinian product

Al-Deek confirms that Palestinian agricultural products are distinguished by their quality, special identity, and unique flavor, and enjoy a good reputation in global markets, pointing out the existence of official bodies and specialized laboratories that work responsibly and seriously to monitor the quality of agricultural products and ensure their safety, which enhances the confidence of Palestinian consumers in them.

Al-Deek clarifies that targeting Palestinian agriculture is not limited to field restrictions, but also includes controlling land and restricting farmers and herders in the Jordan Valley, hills, and Palestinian countryside, considering that Israeli defamation campaigns against Palestinian agricultural products represent a new stage in attempts to control the land and weaken Palestinians' attachment to it.

Al-Deek stresses that the goal of these claims is primarily political, calling on agricultural institutions and official bodies to present a clear vision that enhances the identity of Palestinian agricultural products and strengthens citizens' confidence in them, affirming the ability of Palestinians to protect their land and agricultural products and preserve them.

Attempts to undermine food security

The Executive Director of the General Union of Palestinian Farmers, Abbas Melhem, explains that what Israeli media reported about the presence of toxic pesticides in Palestinian vegetables exported to Israel falls within attempts to target the Palestinian agricultural sector and undermine food security, stressing that these claims come within the context of continuous policies aimed at weakening farmers and questioning the quality of Palestinian agricultural products.

Melhem explains that the Union is accustomed to dealing cautiously with narratives issued by the occupation, considering that these claims fall within "destructive steps" for the agricultural sector, in parallel with settler attacks aimed at displacing farmers from their lands.

Attempts to damage the reputation of agricultural products

Melhem points out that farmers who remain in the production cycle are subjected to attempts to damage the reputation of their products, leading to economic losses and weakening this vital sector.

He explains that Palestinian food products are subjected to strict monitoring standards, especially regarding the use of chemical pesticides, noting that the Union works with farmers to gradually transition from a production pattern based on chemicals, even within permitted limits, to a safe, environmentally friendly, and climate-adapted production pattern that relies on minimizing the use of chemical materials or eliminating them, and returning to traditional farming methods that were prevalent in the time of ancestors.

Opportunity to develop safe agricultural production patterns

Melhem clarifies that raising these issues constitutes an opportunity to refocus on developing safe agricultural production patterns, stressing that agricultural institutions play a continuous awareness role with farmers to enhance adherence to health and environmental standards and improve the quality of locally produced food.

Melhem stresses the need for specialized regulatory bodies, including the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, and Environment, to play their role in monitoring the nature of agricultural production and ensuring its compliance with specifications.

Melhem points out that refuting Israeli claims requires publishing the results of laboratory tests and highlighting the work of Palestinian laboratories, scientific committees, and consumer protection associations, calling on the Israeli side to present any scientific results it claims to possess instead of making general accusations.

Exaggerated and unrealistic claims

Melhem stresses that portraying Palestinian products as contaminated with chemicals is exaggerated and unrealistic, affirming that Palestinian agricultural production as a whole falls within acceptable standards despite limited individual violations sometimes related to non-compliance with safety margins or excessive use of pesticides.

Melhem points out that these individual violations do not reflect the reality of the agricultural sector, questioning the logic of claims that describe a large percentage of Palestinian food as contaminated, noting that the continued consumption of these products without widespread harm confirms the inaccuracy of these claims.

Applying Israeli food law to the West Bank

Melhem draws attention to the possibility of political objectives behind these claims, including an attempt to impose the application of Israeli food law on the West Bank as part of escalating steps towards gradual annexation, considering that raising the issue of food safety may be used as a pretext to impose Israeli laws on the Palestinian agricultural sector without coordination with Palestinian authorities.

Pushing consumers to be more cautious in choosing products

Melhem points out that these claims may push consumers to be more cautious in choosing products and perhaps turn to direct purchases from farmers, but he rules out a clear impact on prices given the high demand during the month of Ramadan.

Melhem affirms that the health of the Palestinian citizen is a fundamental priority, calling for strengthening agricultural and health control as a necessary step to ensure the quality of Palestinian products, while stressing that Palestinian agricultural production as a whole is still within an acceptable and good level in terms of safety and quality.

Claims lacking scientific basis

The Director-General of Agricultural Relief, Munjed Abu Jaish, confirms that the claims recently circulated by Israeli media regarding the presence of toxins or high levels of pesticides in Palestinian vegetables lack scientific basis, pointing out that they were not based on documented laboratory test results or official reports that can be relied upon, which makes them technically inaccurate claims.

Abu Jaish explains that the majority of locally produced Palestinian vegetables comply with the laws and instructions issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, which regulate the use of pesticides and agricultural fertilizers, stressing that issuing judgments regarding the safety of agricultural products requires accurate laboratory analyses before reaching any conclusions.

Additional pressure on farmers

Abu Jaish suggests that the primary goal of these claims is to exert additional pressure on farmers, especially those working in areas classified as "C" according to the Oslo Agreement, where a large part of Palestinian agricultural activity is concentrated.

Abu Jaish points out that the continuation of such measures or the promotion of these claims may hinder the development of the Palestinian agricultural sector and affect farmer support programs, noting that a large percentage of Palestinian vegetables are marketed domestically, which makes farmers vulnerable to the impact of any restrictions or media disruption on export movement.

Developing the agricultural sector to confront

Abu Jaish clarifies that confronting these pressures requires developing the Palestinian agricultural sector and raising the level of farmers' adherence to approved specifications, stressing that adherence to approved agricultural standards benefits local consumption and supports export opportunities.

Abu Jaish confirms that the Ministries of Agriculture and Economy continuously monitor and control agricultural production, and do not allow unauthorized pesticides to enter the Palestinian market, noting that some pesticides may sometimes leak from settlements.

Encouraging organic farming

Abu Jaish stresses that Agricultural Relief works to support farmers through safe farming programs, including applying Global GAP and Pal GAP standards, in addition to encouraging organic farming, affirming that a large number of farmers adhere to these standards, which enhances the safety of local agricultural products.

Abu Jaish expresses his confidence in the safety of Palestinian agricultural production, calling on consumers to be reassured about the quality of local vegetables, and at the same time pointing out that these claims may negatively affect prices if export restrictions are imposed, as a decline in marketing to the Palestinian interior will lead to an increase in the quantities offered in the West Bank and a sharp drop in vegetable prices, which will result in direct losses for farmers.

Defining permitted substances

The head of the Palestinian Consumer Protection Association, Salah Haniyeh, believes that what was circulated in the Israeli media regarding the presence of "toxins" or high levels of pesticides in Palestinian vegetables comes within the context of a broader war targeting Palestinian land and the agricultural sector, pointing out that these claims complement field measures that began with preventing farmers from accessing their lands and closing large areas, especially in Tubas and the Jordan Valley, leading to attempts to displace Bedouin communities, and ending with an attempt to question the quality of Palestinian agricultural products.

Haniyeh explains that the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture imposes strict control over the use of agricultural pesticides, and clearly defines permitted and prohibited substances, noting that this control has significantly developed since 2010 after a period that witnessed excessive use of pesticides, which prompted the competent authorities to regulate the sector and ban many dangerous substances.

Haniyeh confirms that the level of strictness in the use of pesticides in the Palestinian market exceeds that in the Israeli market, affirming that the pesticides permitted in Israel are almost double compared to what is permitted in Palestine, and that Palestinian standards largely comply with international standards.

Causing anxiety among Palestinian consumers

Haniyeh points out that Israeli claims also aim to cause anxiety among Palestinian consumers by promoting the idea that local vegetables contain substances that may cause serious diseases, stressing that these claims are baseless and not based on scientific foundations, and that the recent statement by the Ministry of Agriculture clarified the monitoring and rationalization procedures and penalties imposed on violators.

Haniyeh draws attention to smuggling operations of Israeli agricultural products and attempts to flood the Palestinian market with spoiled or expired products.

Individual violations

Haniyeh explains that the Palestinian market is not entirely free of violations, as there are limited individual violations such as some farmers using pesticides coming from settlements and not circulated in the Palestinian market, but these cases have been dealt with through awareness campaigns and monitoring procedures in cooperation between the Consumer Protection Association, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Farmers' Union, and the Peasants' Union, stressing that these violations have not affected consumer confidence in local products.

Haniyeh calls for strengthening control by taking periodic samples of agricultural products, especially those coming from the Israeli market, to ensure their safety and create a safe market that inspires confidence, emphasizing the importance of agricultural extension workers in the fields and strengthening control within central vegetable and fruit markets.

Haniyeh points out that the Israeli media campaign may temporarily affect farmers, especially if it impacts exports to the Israeli market.

Halting exports and a sharp drop in prices

Haniyeh believes that the possibility of Israel resorting to halting exports due to these claims will lead to a local surplus of vegetables and a sharp drop in prices, causing direct losses to farmers, stressing that the primary goal of these claims is to weaken the Palestinian farmer and negatively affect their ability to withstand and produce.

Food safety files as a competitive tool

Agricultural expert Engineer Majdi Abdullah believes that the claims circulated by Israeli media about the presence of toxins or pesticide residues in Palestinian vegetables exported to the Israeli market are incorrect.

Abdullah confirms that the Palestinian agricultural sector is subject to a strict technical and scientific monitoring system supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture according to approved standards. Abdullah points out that the Ministry denied these claims, explaining that the products circulated in the Israeli market are the same as those circulated locally, which reflects the keenness of official bodies on the safety of the Palestinian consumer first.

Abdullah explains that food safety files may sometimes be used as a competitive tool, especially during seasons when competition for agricultural products such as strawberries, peppers, and various vegetables is high.

Safety period

Abdullah points out that any agricultural sector in the world may witness limited individual cases related to non-compliance with what is known as the "safety period," which is the period that must elapse after spraying the pesticide before consuming the crop, noting that some pesticides such as "Confidor" may have a safety period of about 45 days.

Abdullah confirms that pesticides in Palestine are not allowed to be circulated unless they are officially registered, with recommended doses, safety periods, and pesticide residue limits specified.

A system of control

Abdullah clarifies that the monitoring system includes several levels, including pesticide registration, agricultural extension carried out by Ministry of Agriculture engineers to guide farmers on doses, safety periods, and not mixing incompatible pesticides, in addition to laboratory tests conducted on random samples before export according to technical and European standards.

Abdullah points out the existence of a tracking system through which agricultural products pass through approved packing stations, so that each farm has a record showing the pesticides used and the product's path.

Abdullah calls for refuting Israeli claims through transparency and publishing the results of official laboratory tests and the percentages of compliant and non-compliant samples, in addition to conducting joint tests or using internationally recognized laboratories and requesting detailed technical reports from the claiming parties, along with documenting adherence to safety periods and highlighting quality certificates such as "Global GAP" if available, emphasizing the need to adopt a scientific discourse based on numbers and analyses.

Abdullah confirms that if violations exist, they are very limited individual cases that may result from ignorance, error, or haste in harvesting before the end of the safety period or using incorrect doses, noting that the Ministry of Agriculture is working to intensify periodic tests, support pesticide residue analysis laboratories, strengthen agricultural extension, and tighten penalties for violators.

Claims with potential economic impact

Abdullah confirms that these claims and rumors may have a potential economic impact on farmers, but he stresses that the Palestinian farmer possesses the necessary experience and awareness to use pesticides according to principles, and that violating cases remain individual and cannot be generalized, considering that farmers are keen on product safety because they are the first consumers of it within Palestinian society.