A World Bank spokesman said buying the hothouses and equipment is "not within out mandate" and added that the financial institution also would not act as third party to transfer assets.
Bassi denied reports that he cited the World Bank as a possible go-between but acknowledged that other groups may buy the property. He said talks with the World
Bank concerned other unspecified projects.
Bassi's scheme is that if the Knesset passes the government plan to force 8,000 Jews out of their homes, an outside organization would buy the hundreds of hothouses in Gush Katif and all the farm equipment and hand it over to Arabs. They presumably would continue the projects initiated by the Jewish residents.
Bassi's reasoning is that the income will give more compensation to the Jewish residents whose communities are to be destroyed. He also said that the Israeli export company Agrexco might be able to export future Arab produce now grown by Jews.
Bassi has been criticized for conflict of interest by heading the agency that is to help expel the Jewish residents who have commercial ties with companies headed by Bassi. He is chairman of the Mehadrin and Pri-Or companies which export citrus fruit. Pri-Or also owns mortgages on Jewish land worth more than 20 million shekels, money which the Disengagement Authority is to repay to Pri-Or. He is not a part of the Agrexco company but has close ties with it.
He also is a member of the Plastero Irrigation Systems corporation which supplies irrigation systems to Jewish farmers in Gaza and which also is to receive compensation from the Disengagement Authority.
Jews started living in Gaza more than 22 years ago after Israel forced its residents out of Yamit, and they have pioneered new systems for irrigation and growing vegetables and spices.
Bassi denied reports that he cited the World Bank as a possible go-between but acknowledged that other groups may buy the property. He said talks with the World
Bank concerned other unspecified projects.
Bassi's scheme is that if the Knesset passes the government plan to force 8,000 Jews out of their homes, an outside organization would buy the hundreds of hothouses in Gush Katif and all the farm equipment and hand it over to Arabs. They presumably would continue the projects initiated by the Jewish residents.
Bassi's reasoning is that the income will give more compensation to the Jewish residents whose communities are to be destroyed. He also said that the Israeli export company Agrexco might be able to export future Arab produce now grown by Jews.
Bassi has been criticized for conflict of interest by heading the agency that is to help expel the Jewish residents who have commercial ties with companies headed by Bassi. He is chairman of the Mehadrin and Pri-Or companies which export citrus fruit. Pri-Or also owns mortgages on Jewish land worth more than 20 million shekels, money which the Disengagement Authority is to repay to Pri-Or. He is not a part of the Agrexco company but has close ties with it.
He also is a member of the Plastero Irrigation Systems corporation which supplies irrigation systems to Jewish farmers in Gaza and which also is to receive compensation from the Disengagement Authority.
Jews started living in Gaza more than 22 years ago after Israel forced its residents out of Yamit, and they have pioneered new systems for irrigation and growing vegetables and spices.
