In a move that should promote donor outrage, the Jewish National Fund is boasting one of its latest projects, the planting of 3,000 trees in a new development area near Ramallah.
It was not too long ago that the famous blue JNF tzedaka boxes were seen in every Jewish home in North America, as Jewish refugees of the Nazi atrocities saved pennies, literally, working towards assisting the Jewish state during its early years while under constant threat from all sides.
Today, some things have changed. The money now given to JNF does not go to assist the Jewish state, which is still facing existential threats, but the funds go to Israel’s enemies, to plant trees for the PA, trees that will be used by PA residents who seek cover after throwing rocks and firebombs at passing Israeli vehicles.
According to JNF officials, the trees are planted on the site of the new PA city, Ruwabi (City of Hills) which is being constructed north of Ramallah. Right-wing activist Yekutiel Ben-Yaakov reports that Michael Weinberg of the JNF acknowledges that there is a great deal of “professional pride in the project. We are helping in any way we can.”
He adds the ambitious project of building a city from scratch has drawn an estimated investment of $800 million, mostly from Palestinian and Qatari sources. The plan is for 6,000 housing units over a 6,300 dunam area that is supposed to provide housing for nearly 40,000 people and employ some 10,000 Palestinian workers. The project is aimed at the Palestinian middle class.
One can only read in amazement as poverty and unemployment are significant issues in Eretz Yisrael, yet JNF money is “proudly” handed over to our enemies.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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2 Responses
The money is still going to plant trees in Eretz Yisroel… whether an Arab or a Jew is living on a particular parcel of land.
Further, while I’d rather Ruwabi were built in Jordan and not in Eretz Yisroel, the Arabs are not idolaters, the trees won’t be used for idolatrous purposes, and allowing the Arabs to have a better life in Israel is a good thing.
Economic cooperation is also a good thing. The Arab financeer of Ruwabi, as reported yesterday, is willing to work with Israel.
If both the Jews and Arabs are economically prosperous, there will be much less desire to have another intafada, where they destroy themselves economically again, and a much greater chance of living in peace.
Agreed