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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Israeli Volunteers Crops
HEAD: Without Palestinian Workers, Israeli Volunteers Help Salvage Crops
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT:
BYLINE: Alejandro Ernesto
CONTRIBUTOR: Alejandro Ernesto
DATELINE: Tzora, Israel
VIDEOGRAPHER: Alejandro Ernesto
TRANSLATOR/VIDEO EDITOR: Veronica Villafañe
VIDEO SOURCE: VOA,
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; Megan Duzor
TRT: 2:17
VID APPROVED BY: pcd
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[The Israeli-Hamas conflict has left death and destruction. But it is also impacting livelihoods and agricultural heartlands. With Israel blocking Palestinian laborers from entering the country since the war began, and foreign workers fleeing Israel, some farmers have had to rely on volunteers to harvest and salvage their crops. Veronica Villafañe narrates this report by Alejandro Ernesto in Tzora, Israel.]]
((NATS))
((NARRATOR)
This pomegranate harvest in Israel’s Kibbutz Tzora orchard, about 20 kilometers west of Jerusalem, could have been lost, if a group of volunteers hadn’t answered a farmer’s plea for help.
Israel closed its borders following the Hamas October attack, disrupting the supply of Palestinian workers that orchard manager Assaf Tzur relied on to harvest his crops.
((Assaf Tzur, Tzora Kibbutz)) ((Male in English))
“We usually work with the Palestinian workers. We worked with them for many many years and unfortunately, they can't cross the border now so we're quite helpless and it was really confusing times.”
((NARRATOR))
Fearing the pomegranates would rot, he put out a call for help on social media.
((Assaf Tzur, Tzora Kibbutz)) ((Male in English))
“And we just asked the public, we just publish it and said, well, we have a tremendous problem. We don't know we're going to pick it and we were really surprised and we're really, really excited that that so many people all around Israel just came and asked us to help us.”
((NARRATOR))
Inbal Elraz is among the volunteers who turned up to save the crop.
((Inbal Elraz, Volunteer)) ((Female in Spanish))
“I look for places where I can contribute. My friend lives here on the kibbutz and she told me there is a need for workers…That's what I do now on my days off. I've been to other food, fruit and vegetable collection centers to save them, because they have been left without workers.”
((NARRATOR))
In the wake of the October 7th attacks, many foreign workers left the country and Palestinian laborers are being refused entry, affecting their livelihood. That’s something Tzur deeply laments.
((Assaf Tzur, Tzora Kibbutz)) ((Male in English))
“We got attached. You know, we work with them for many years and I know their families and they know mine and we are friends, of course, we are in touch.”
((NARRATOR))
It’s not a long-term solution, but this crop is saved, and Israeli farmers like Tzur are grateful to the many volunteers – of all ages – who have stepped up to help.
((For Alejandro Ernesto in Tzora, Israel, Veronica Villafañe, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Tzora, Israel
BylineAlejandro Ernesto
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
