Israeli Defense Ministry Seizes Chocolate Bound for Gaza

 

Officials accuse Hamas military wing of planning to profit

by Jason Ditz 

Posted onAugust 16, 2021CategoriesNewsTagsGaza, Israel

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced Monday that Israel had confiscated 23 tons of chocolate bars that were to be imported to the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said they considered the attempted acquisition “suspicious.”

For years, Israel had forbidden chocolate from even entering the Gaza Strip as a “luxury item.” Recent, some limited imports have been allowed, though Israel tends to curb them whenever they feel like making a move against the Palestinians.

This was different because the 23 tons is such a huge amount, and because the Defense Ministry is claiming that Hamas was planning to fund its military wing with the sales. Ironically, the scarcity in Gaza would increase profitability.

Adding to the confusing intrigue, some ministry officials were suggesting that the chocolate bars were meant to “serve as an alternate currency” for the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials are pinning this plot of al-Mutahadun, and the Arab Training Company China, Gantz said the seizure of the chocolate would “prevent the empowerment of Hamas.”

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/08/16/israeli-defense-ministry-seizes-chocolate-bound-for-gaza/