For Palestinian Arabs, Shmitta Is A Very Good Year

AFP reports on the windfall profits for Palestinian farmers since this is a Shmitta year--amounting expected trade volume of up to 400 million shekels ($100 million). While the article discusses those who will buy food from the Palestinian farmers and those who will rely on the Heter Mechirah, there is one issue that is not discussed till the very end of the article, and only briefly:

National Religious rabbis, who represent Israel's political right-wing, blast trade with Palestinian farmers as undermining the Jewish state.

"As a religious Zionist I do not want my state to strengthen those who are not exactly my friends because of the biblical law," Rabbi Daniel Sperber said at a Jerusalem conference on Shmita last month.

But [head of inspection of Palestinian produce in the West Bank, Rabbi Meir] Bergman says that trading with the Palestinians in fact strengthens Israel's security.

"The deeper the economic distress is, the higher the flames rise," he says. "And that is why we help - our buying from Palestinian farmers helps improve the security situation."

Maybe--but only one out of every 7 years.

Technorati Tag: Israel and Shmitta.