Group’s chair defends the practice as crucial for protecting against ‘incursions, environmental harm, and illegal construction. trespassing’; critics say the intention is to displace Bedouins
TOI reports that the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemet LeYisrael said Sunday it will move ahead with plans to plant trees near Nahal Yatir in the Negev, which last year triggered a violent response from Israel haters.
In her first decision as JNF-KKL chairwoman since entering office earlier this month, Ifat Ovadia-Luski said the organization will carry out tree planting and other agricultural work in the area “without any delays.”
Noting the purpose of the practice, Ovadia-Luski said planting would take place “on state-owned lands that protect against incursions, environmental harm, illegal construction and trespassing — all common phenomena in the desert region.”
She said JNF-KKL was “at the forefront of protecting, developing and building the country,” and added that “holding onto and protecting the land, and planting trees were core values of JNF-KKL from the early days of the Zionist movement and we’re proud to be leading these fields today as well.”
Source - TOI/Twitter - Image - KKL