There has been a shortage of red meat (filet and entrecote cuts for steak), a senior restaurant source told "Globes." The source added that the smuggling of meat from the Palestinian Authority revealed last week had already been known, and was silenced for the convenience of all parties.
The source explained that the consumption of red meat this year was 5 tons. "One importer from East Jerusalem would buy the meat from South America, and in many cases, would receive the meat as a donation from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), from where it was sent in a refrigerated state to Ramallah. There was always a question, which the restaurants preferred not to ask, as to how the meat was sent back into Israeli territory - in unrefrigerated vehicles. They paid much less for the smuggled meat than for meat raised in Israel; I'm talking about NIS 80 per kilogram, in comparison with NIS 120-140 per kilogram."
The source said, "In recent days, the restaurants and the catering company owners were desperately looking for alternative meat sources, and found none. I estimate that on Independence Day, there will be a shortage that we'll already start feeling this week."
The source went on to explain that the consumer had no way of finding out whether the cut of meat he got in a restaurant was smuggled or fresh. "They put sauces and spices the disguise the flavor, and only those with especially sharp senses can detect the meat's quality," he says.
The same source also asserted that the Israel Tax Authority had discovered the smuggling: "They cross-referenced the invoices given to the restaurants by the supplier, and the difference was discovered." The entire smuggling ring managed under the radar is now being blocked.
A spokesperson for UNWRA stated in response to the report, "The allegations contained in this article that UNRWA food aid is finding its way onto markets in Jerusalem is unfounded. The Agency does not procure, import or donate red meat for Palestine refugees in the West Bank."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 10, 2016
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2016