A Palestinian farmer collects red carnations in a flower farm in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 12, 2009. Israel granted special approval for the export of 25,000 Palestinian flowers from the Gaza Strip to the Dutch market for the Valentine's Day. For the first time in a year, a lorry load of carnations was allowed to cross from Gaza into Israel, military spokesman Peter Lerner said, following a request from the Netherlands that prompted Israel to make a rare exception to the blockade it has imposed on Gaza since Hamas seized control in 2007. [Xinhua]

Some 25,000 fresh and delicate roses are expected to pass the Kerem Shalom crossing point in southeastern Gaza Strip for Holland on the eve of Valentine's Day which falls on Saturday.

Israel on Thursday allowed the flowers export from the war-torn Gaza Strip for the first time in years, according to Israel Radio's Arabic Service.

Zakareya Hijazi, 42, a Palestinian farmer, feels lucky that the22-day Israeli massive offensive on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip did not completely wipe out his farmland near the border in the east of Rafah town.

So "I was able to collect 8,000 flowers from my land where also cultivating more than 6 million blooms of various colors of carnation," said Hijazi.

According to the Palestinian farmer, the export of the flowers was a result of efforts the Dutch government undertook.

"A representative of the Dutch government in Gaza used to contact us and his country sent us the needed materials for planting the flowers," said the farmer, adding "this is what was left out from the destruction."

Thousands of houses and buildings as well as dozens of farms were destroyed or badly damaged during Israel's unprecedented military offensive ended on January 18.

Actually, Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip in June 2007 after Islamic Hamas movement seized control of the territory by force.

Since then, the crossings used to open partially before aid and necessary food according to the political and security situation. But export from Gaza was fully banned.

Majed Haddaied, another farmer who owns The Green Grove Company, said he was unable to export "because of the continued shocks and strikes we have received during the Israeli attacks and the closure of the crossings which followed Hamas' coup in Gaza."

This year, Majed planted a space of 50,000 square meters with different kinds of flowers, but the land was bulldozed during the Israeli offensive.

Exporting 25,000 roses "is nothing when it is compared to the previous years when we used to sell 60 million blooms in the season to Europe," said Majed.

Many farmers "lost hope because the season begins in November and the farmers were unable to pick up the flowers from the lands which often lay near the flashpoint Israeli border areas," he added.

Gaza is famous for producing citrus, strawberries, flowers, roses, carnations and all other kinds of vegetables mainly tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants. Farmers there export the products to Europe and Arab countries.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2009)