http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4010002,00.html Police: Palestinians stole orange trees
Owner of orchard in central Israel discovers gang of Palestinians chopping down beloved trees
Raanan Ben-Zur
Published: 01.06.11, 15:00 / Israel News
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A resident of a village in central Israel was astonished to discover a gang of Palestinian men chopping down his orange trees a few days ago. "It's a great loss," he said of the 7.5 acres of land that now stand empty in the middle of his orchard.
The gang, comprised of five residents of the Palestinian territories, came to Kfar Netter every few days equipped with chainsaws, receptacles, and trucks.
A 'daring' crime by daylight (Photo: Ido Erez)
They are suspected of stealing the trees in order to sell in Palestinian villages for firewood, as their wood emits a pleasant smell when it burns.
The owner of the orchard discovered the crime after hearing a strange noise one day, which he went to investigate. Upon finding the gang in the middle of the orchard, where they hoped to remain unseen, he immediately alerted Border Guard forces.
Officers learned that the Palestinian members of the gang were residing illegally in Israel and that they had been hired by a 31-year old man named Salah Kabaha, a resident of the village of Zabda in the West Bank.
But Kabaha told police he had signed a contract with the orchard owner allowing him to chop down the trees in exchange for a sum of NIS 40,000 ($11,300). The court has extended his arrest by five days.
A Border Guard officer in charge of interrogations said the suspects had performed a very "daring" crime in the light of day.
Zivan Freidan added that the orchard owner had appeared in shock. "These are trees for which he cared for years and then, before he even got the chance to pick the fruit, these gang members came and tore them down with the fruit still on them," he said.
Family members were greatly disturbed by the loss. "This orchard was part of our childhood and we have a lot of memories there," one said, adding that the loss of the trees was also a financial one.
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