Israeli Controversy Blossoms Over Protecting Gilboa Iris

摘要

A proposed eco-friendly settlement on Mount Gilboa has enraged Israeli scientists, who say it will trample on a beloved national icon. Every March, tourists clog the narrow road snaking up this mountain to enjoy the spectacular blooming of the purpleGilboa iris. But this year the rare flower, a national icon unique to the ridge, has also become a major bone of contention between settlers of a proposed eco-friendly town and Israeli scientists who call the settlement "an ecological crime." The fight is part of a larger battle over preserving open spaces in a country where environmental concerns often take a back seat to an Israeli imperative to build on the ancient land.