Israeli officials reacted with anger today after Japan ordered 600 crates of oranges retuned to Israel without an inspection. Many here saw it as an indication that Japan is moving more and more into a pro-Arab position. They noted that last week Japanese delegates voted to oust Israel from the Asian Games. The Japanese decision came just as Israel’s citrus sales to Europe were returning to normal following a 33 percent drop in the wake of the discovery of mercury in oranges in Holland and West Germany.
In Italy, after mercury was reportedly found in two grapefruits in the north, Israeli grapefruits were given a clean bill of health by inspectors in Milan last week. They were immediately released for sale on the market. Also last week, United States health authorities, outside Philadelphia, approved the shipment of seven million Israeli oranges after inspecting them. The contamination scare in Europe resulted in a $30 million loss for the Israeli citrus industry, according to officials here.
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