PALESTINIAN FRESH PRODUCE TO U.S.

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000538 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/IPA FOR SHAMPAINE/SACHAR; NSC FOR PASCUAL; TREASURY FOR CONNOLLY PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR MCCLOUD/BORODIN PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR MOWRY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD KWBG SUBJECT: PALESTINIAN FRESH PRODUCE TO U.S. REF: 2007 JERUSALEM 869 ¶1. (U) USG assistance facilitated the shipment of a sizable quantity of fresh produce from the West Bank to New York via Jordan on March 24. The USD 10,000 shipment of chives and tarragon herbs originated from a farm in Tubas, northeast of Nablus, that has been the recipient of USAID support through the Palestinian Agriculture Partnership Activity (PAPA) program since 2006. According to PAPA contractors, this is the first shipment of Palestinian fresh produce to the U.S. that any of them can remember. ¶2. (U) According to those involved, the shipment went smoothly. At the Allenby Bridge, Israeli authorities permitted back-to-back transfer on the West Bank side of the bridge, allowing the shipment to remain chilled throughout. The herbs were flown from Amman to New York. The U.S. buyer confirmed the shipment passed USDA and customs inspections on March 25. The shipment's country of origin label reads "West Bank via Israel." ¶3. (U) This cable has been cleared by USAID WB/G. WALLES