Kibbutz Sa'ad, located near Sderot in the western Negev, has blocked plans to connect Be'er Sheva with Negev towns by laying a rail line through its farmland. Sa'ad is a large grower of carrots and other farm crops and has refused to give up some of its rich farmland for the railroad tracks.
The proposed rail line would connect the Negev cities of Ashkelon, Ofakim, Netivot and Sderot with Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva.
Israel Railways has turned to the courts to force the kibbutz to back down from its stand, but Sa'ad members explained they want compensation for the land and lost produce. "It seems strange that the government, without reasonable compensation, wants to take away land from a community that is under siege from Kassam rockets and whose members have worked the land for 60 years," said Yitzchak Halok, manager of the kibbutz.
The proposed rail line would connect the Negev cities of Ashkelon, Ofakim, Netivot and Sderot with Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva.
Israel Railways has turned to the courts to force the kibbutz to back down from its stand, but Sa'ad members explained they want compensation for the land and lost produce. "It seems strange that the government, without reasonable compensation, wants to take away land from a community that is under siege from Kassam rockets and whose members have worked the land for 60 years," said Yitzchak Halok, manager of the kibbutz.