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By CCTV correspondent Roee Ruttenberg
With the war in Syria continuing, it’s not just people living inside the country who are paying the price. For the Syrian Druze people just across the border in the Golan Heights, making a living may also be at stake.
It’s apple-picking time in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The men working here are Syrian Druze, who says they are loyal to President Bashar Assad, because he’s been loyal to them.
Jamal Reda, Druze apple grower, said, “From here we send our best regards to the Syrian Leadership and its head, President Bashar Assad, and we hope Syria will continue supporting us and buying our apples."
Since 2005, Israel has allowed the Druze growers to sell the domestic market’s excess apples to Syria, the export coordinated via the Red Cross and the UN. Damascus subsidizes the purchase, paying more than one dollar per kilo. The wholesale Israeli market pays less than half. The growers now rely on the extra revenue. But this season, the unrest just across the border may jeopardize that.
It’s apple-picking time in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Roee Ruttenberg, Gmajdal Shams, Golan Heights, said, "This may look like an impressive operation. But the Druze apple growers in the Golan say they are at a disadvantage in the Israeli market. They say the Israeli growers have better infrastructure thanks to more government investment. And they fear: without the backing of Damascus, they won’t be able to compete.”
Asaad Safadi, factory manager, said, “Every family in the Golan Heights, every year, is looking to the time to start marketing to Syria. So I’m not exaggerating, but 80 percent of the Golanese people are dependent on this.”
Safadi’s plant and the others here can send about 300 tones of apple to Syria a day. During the high-season, that amounts to more than 12,000 tones going out, and a nice chunk of change coming in one that helps feed the families here.
People here know that "if" Assad loses his grip on power, it’s unclear who will replace him. But they are hoping that apple won’t fall far from the tree.
It’s apple-picking time in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
中国公共新闻摘编：GAN JADE |
