Defense Minister Looking Into Compensation Package for Gaza Farmers

Jerusalem, 29 November, 2017 (TPS) -- Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has commissioned a team to look into granting financial compensation to farmers operating close to the Gaza border. The decision was made after several instances over the past month where farmers were barred from working as a result of security issues.

The situation began with the October 30th demolition of a tunnel dug by the Islamic Jihad in Gaza from the strip into Israel. The demolition, and the subsequent killing of 14 Islamic Jihad operatives who were working in the tunnel at the time, has lead to high tensions between Israel and Gaza.

In light of the tense security situation, Israeli farmers have not been able to properly tend to their land, leading to significant financial damage.

In recent days, the team has been meeting with farmers in the region in order to determine the scope of the work lost, and thus to determine the scale of compensation required.