Premature ending of the rainy season in Israel has caused severe damage to nearly 70,000 acres of crops in the Negev, most of it on Bedouin land, Kaddish Luz, Israel Minister of Agriculture, told the Knesset today. Unless there is some additional rainfall in the immediate future another 7,500 acres of crops will be burned up, he noted. Mr. Luz pledged government assistance to all drought-hit farmers.
At the same time, Israel’s wandering Bedouin tribes hunted feverishly today for new pastures for their camel, sheep and cattle flocks as continuing fine weather intensified water shortages in the Negev and southern areas. Most of the Bedouin; were unable to emulate other herdsmen who stepped up irrigation efforts to save pasture crops. The Bedouin: sent urgent petitions to the Israel Government for help in saving their livestock.
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