The Tomatoes of Wrath

With Hamas in power, Palestinians face financial shortfalls, shortages and spoiled vegetables

The goats were happy, but the people feeding them were forlorn as they dumped loads of unsellable cherry tomatoes in the scrub of central Gaza. Hundreds of tons of the vegetable used to be exported from the area, but last week the Palestinian Economic and Development Authority, which operates greenhouses abandoned by Israeli settlers, could only trash much of the crop. Since Hamas' electoral victory in the Palestinian territories, Israel has, in effect, blocked commerce by virtually sealing the borders, citing continued attacks by Palestinian militants. The closings also prevent almost all imports. Now anxious U.N. workers in Gaza City fret...

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