Farmers Take Their Protest to the Lebanon Border

Israeli farmers dramatized their protest against agricultural reforms that they say will threaten their livelihood by staging a breach of the security fence on the Lebanese border, The Times of Israel reported.

Several hundred protesters rallied in the Avivim agricultural community where some of them assailed the fence.

The military said they did not at any time succeed in entering Lebanese territory before they were halted. “IDF forces are deployed in the area and are assisting Israel Police in maintaining order,” the army said.

One of the farmers told Army Radio admitted that the incident was an act of “desperation,” but, he explained, “We have no way to talk with the decision-makers. We apologized to the security forces who came and tried to remove us by force.”

Police arrested one person during scuffles, Kan news reported.

Farmers explained the choice of the location to make their protest, claiming that by working the land along the frontier they bolster security, and that the proposed reforms will drive them out of work.

Protests in previous works were held in other parts of the country.