Jewish National Fund to Begin Draining Buleh Swamp; Project Will Reclaim 15,000 Acres

Immediately after the rainy season ends next spring the Jewish National Fund will begin work on one of the greatest land reclamation projects ever undertaken in Israel–the draining of the vast Huleh swamp–Dr. Abraham Grannot, world head of the J.N.F. today told a press conference. Dr. Grannot also revealed that the J.N.F. had been named the sole responsible authority for developing this area.

The project will be accomplished in three stages, he stated, and will clear of malaria and make available for agriculture 60,000 dunams (15,000 acres) of rich land. The first stage in the program will be the widening of the beds of the Jordan and Tura Rivers and the creation of a huge basin where the two streams converge. Completion of this task will guarantee the Huleh area against flooding and will provide over 100,000,000 cubic yards of water for irrigation purposes elsewhere.

Dr. Grannot also announced that the J.N.F. has acquired from the Israel Government 1,100,000 dunams of land abandoned by the Arabs and is negotiating with varous churches for the purchase of other lands. One such sale has given the organization a piece of land in the center of Jerusalem formerly owned by the Moravian Brothers. The J.N.F. now owns 2,100,000 dunams of land on which 250,000 people live, he stated.

Referring to the finances of the organization, the director said that it has obtained a total of $37,000,000 in loans in various countries and its budget for the coming year will be approximately $14,000,000 pounds ($39,200,000). He also said that the jubilee celebrations of the J.N.F. will officially begin with the convention of the American J.N.F. in Washington next January.