Sunday, April 06, 2008

IDF Spurns Blue and White, Buys Chinese


Hillel Fendel

With hundreds of Israelis in the ailing textile industry out of work, the IDF lands another blow: ordering 850,000 shirts and undershirts from China.

The news was announced not by the IDF, but by Dr. Michal Segal, Chairperson of the Blue and White Task Force in the Manufacturers Association. She is also a part-owner of SHL-Alubin, the largest aluminum profile manufacturer in Israel. . Segal said that acquiring the shirts in Israel would have given 120 Israeli workers employment for a full year. The deal is worth about 4.25 million shekels, or $1.78 million.

Calls on Defense Minister and Chief of Staff
Segal called upon Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moti Ashkenazi to order the army to cease and desist from purchasing abroad, and to use its public funding to help the country's citizens.

In response to Arutz-7's request for a response, the IDF Spokesman's Office stated that questions regarding the purchase have been raised, no response was yet available, and that they would inform Arutz-7 as soon as one was ready.

The Blue and White Task Force, also known as "Made in Israel," is one of the public committees of the Manufacturers Association. It was established in 1994 for the purpose of promoting Israeli-made goods in government institutions, public bodies and elsewhere. It works in several spheres, including public relations, education, legislation, and more.

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