The Israeli government has approved the transfer of 18,000 tons of apples grown in the Golan Heights to be transfered to Syria. The apples were grown by farmers who are members of the Druze community, an ethnic-religious group with a strong presence in Israel's north. The Red Cross assisted in the transfer which will continue for the next three months. Despite the civil war in Syria, it was deteremined that the apple export poses no security threat.