Occupied Golan: Syrian farmers send precious apple crop to market

29-03-2011 Photo gallery

The ICRC is currently transferring apples from the Israeli-occupied Golan into Syria proper, helping to maintain ties between Syrian farmers in the Golan and the market elsewhere in Syria.

- The Kuneitra crossing on the demarcation line serves as a temporary crossing point between Syria proper and the territory occupied by Israel in 1967. In 2006, the ICRC opened an office in the demarcation zone to facilitate the passage of people and goods and the transfer of official documents.
  © ICRC / Magda & Andrea / il-e-02317
The Golan is an area of about 1,200 square kilometres occupied by Israel since the 1967 six-day war.

At the request of farmers from the Israeli-occupied Golan, and following the approval of both Israel and Syria, the ICRC started transferring 12,000 tonnes of apples from the occupied Golan through the 1974 separation line into Syria proper on 15 February. The operation is expected to take approximately 10 weeks. The sale of fruit represents a significant economic and human link between Syrian farmers in the occupied Golan and the Syrian market, and the ICRC has been running such operations since 2005. The programme is only possible because all parties recognize the ICRC’s role as a neutral intermediary.
- A Syrian farmer from the Golan transports apples at the start of the harvest season (September/October). "Selling our apples elsewhere in Syria enables us to maintain close ties with our relatives, and a sense of identity."
  © ICRC / A. Romenzi / il-e-02318
- Al-Shaa'b cooled warehouse, Bokaatha, occupied Golan. A farmer from the occupied Golan at work in the warehouse, where his apples are stored before being transported to Syria proper. The warehouse can store 35,000 tonnes of apples.
  © ICRC / Magda & Andrea / il-e-02319
- The apples are washed and dried before being packed for transport. There are three varieties: the red Starking Delicious, the yellow Golden Delicious and the green Granny Smith. As one of the farmers points out, "The sale of fruit is the main source of income for the Syrian farmers of the Golan."
  © ICRC / A. Romenzi / il-e-02320
- A storage facility in Majdal Shams. A Syrian woman from the occupied Golan sorts and packs apples in the cold storage facility in preparation for their transport to Syria.
  © ICRC / Magda & Andrea / il-e-02321
- An ICRC driver from Kenya climbs into his truck en route to the Golan. The trucks start their journey at the ICRC workshop in Amman, Jordan.
  © ICRC / R. Afani
- To ensure security clearance from all sides, the ICRC drivers must be neither Israelis nor Syrians. "I work for the ICRC in Kenya and I’m always happy to be selected for the apple operation,” said one ICRC driver. “It’s great to see the happy faces of people on both sides of the demarcation line.”
  © ICRC / R. Afani
- The first of three ICRC trucks crosses an Israeli checkpoint in the occupied Golan and enters the demilitarized zone controlled by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) at Kuneitra. UNDOF officers check shipping documents as part of the Force’s support to the apple transfer operation.
  © ICRC / il-e-02323
- ICRC trucks make the daily journey through the Kuneitra Crossing under the watchful eye of UN, Syrian and Israeli soldiers. For at least 10 weeks, three ICRC trucks will pass back and forth across the demilitarized zone carrying up to 12,000 tonnes of apples to markets in Syria.
  © ICRC / A. Romenzi / il-e-02322
- The ICRC coordinates with UNDOF to facilitate the movement of people, documents and apples across the demarcation line and has had an office inside the demilitarized zone since 2006.
  © ICRC / I. Malla
- When the ICRC trucks reach the Syrian side, the apples are offloaded, checked and prepared for loading onto Syrian trucks that will take them to Damascus. Samples are sent for testing and quality control before reaching the consumer. The Syrian government buys the apples at above market price to support the Syrian community in the Golan.
  © ICRC / I. Malla / sy-e-00070
- Syrian farmers in the occupied Golan always reserve a few boxes of apples for the celebrations that accompany the arrival of the crop in Syria proper.
  © ICRC / I. Malla / sy-e-00069
- A girl enjoys a fresh Golan apple during celebrations on the Syrian side of the demarcation line. For Syria, the apple transfer reflects the continuation of links with the occupied Golan.
  © ICRC / I. Malla
- Once the apples reached Syria, they are exported to other countries as well. A shopkeeper prepares Golan apples for sale on a market in Jordan.
  © ICRC / R. Afani / jo-e-00128
- Apples are one of the main sources of income in the occupied Golan. The ICRC’s neutral humanitarian action makes it possible for Syrian farmers in the occupied Golan to sell their crop in Syria proper and other countries.
  © ICRC / I. Malla

Occupied Golan: Syrian farmers send precious apple crop to market

29-03-2011 Photo gallery

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