Madison-Rafah Journal

www.sabeel.org

The Madison-Rafah Sister City Project is taking orders for Holy Land Olive Oil, an extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil imported directly from Palestinian growers.

Palestinian farmers, whose income has been devastated by Israeli policies of occupation and closure, are having great difficulty selling their produce. Neither Jordan nor Israel, the two natural markets, will accept the oil which is now the only source of income for many people. The oil is fresh and flavorful and in the process of organic certification.

This olive oil is supplied in cooperation with the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC), a non-profit organization that develops and markets farm products. PARC pays farmers a fair price, and gives priority to farmers whose land is under threat of confiscation or affected by the Separation Wall, as described by Rev. K. Jeanne Person.

West Bank farmers struggle to find a market for their oil because, as a form of economic collective punishment, Israel prohibits the sale of olive oil from the West Bank inside Israel. An added irony is that Israel has an annual olive oil deficit of 14,000 tons, whereas the West Bank has a surplus of 25,000 tons.

The following co-ops supply oil for Holy Land Olive Oil