How far is a government willing to go to support its farmers? pretty far if you ask George W. Bush. A report in the Spanish daily Público has it and it’s pretty surreal.
According to the US ambassador in Tel Aviv, Israel is financing the Iranian nuclear programme at the tune of…wait for it…15 million euros!! How’s this happening? well, apparently Israelis are importing Iranian pistachio through Turkey violating the economic sanctions imposed against Iran due to its nuclear programme.
The US ambassador, Richard Jones, has taken it up directly with the Israeli Finance Minister. And even pledged support to help Israelis identify Iranian pistachios and avoid them. The economic reality of the ‘crisis’ however is very different. The American pistachio lobby has been pressuring Israel to stop importing Iranian pistachio and instead to buy American one. Since Israel is the biggest importer of pistachio in the world I guess the Americans are eager to frame the Iranian pistachio industry as the evil twin of the Iranian nuclear programme.
But the US has found a small obstacle in its way, the quality of their pistachio. Israelis, as the world pistachio connoisseurs, prefer Iranian pistachio, supposed to be the best in the world, over the American one. So even if Bush takes the matter directly with PM Olmert, as some reports say it could happen, it will be tough to convince the Israeli consumer.
What’s more important to you, national security or great nibbles? Israelis seem to have it very clear.
Héhé, I wonder with the NSA has a nut-funded terrorism departement.
Dear Mario, you should add the link to the article, in whatever language, to cite your sources.
Marc
Ooops you did. My mistake!