Israel intends to transfer tons of bananas as part of a humanitarian initiative to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In the past Israel has donated 30,000 tons of Israeli bananas a year, but the latest shipment was held up at the border because the Israeli-Gaza crossing was closed. So, Minister of Agriculture Simhon Shalon came up with the idea of transfering the bananas as humanitarian aid while the remaining bananas are to be sold to the Persian Gulf States, Jordan, and Turkey.