Judge Segalson Exonerates JNF-KKL on Charges of the Organization's Involvement in Alleged Tree Uprooting

Jewish National Fund
Thursday, 21 December 2000

Segalson Confirms That it Was Never Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Policy to Remove Saplings

December 21, 2000 – New York, NY – Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (JNF-KKL) announced today that they have been completely exonerated of the accusations that they were responsible for the uprooting of trees in Israel. The exoneration came from Judge Arie Segalson (ret.), former member of the Regional Court in Tel Aviv, who was appointed by JNF-KKL in July as an independent authority to thoroughly examine the "Plant a Tree With Your Own Hands" program as a result of unfavorable accusations in the press.

Segalson was appointed by JNF-KKL World Chairman, Yehiel Leket and Co-Chairman, Shlomo Gravetz in July 2000 to look into the truth behind articles written in connection with the "Plant a Tree With Your Own Hands" program. The chairmen jointly commented, "Even though we knew the reports were false and an aberration of policy, we appointed a judge to investigate the allegations in order to ensure that no one would be allowed to unfairly tarnish the name of the organization that has been the caretaker of the land of Israel for the past 100 years."

Segalson conducted an extensive five-month investigation that carefully studied every aspect of the JNF-KKL tree center operations. He interviewed 18 workers and JNF-KKL executive staff, and visited other JNF-KKL tree planting centers. Segalson evaluated every aspect of the program including the purchasing of the tree, its planting and the presentation of the tree certificate. For the 80,000 total trees planted each year in all five of the centers, Segalson found that the workers were diligent on every aspect of caring for the saplings and watering each sapling, both planted and not yet planted. He further stated that the workers were carefully attending to the saplings daily with as much attention as tourists use in caring for the saplings when they plant them.

Regarding the Ein Kerem tree planting center in question, Segalson found that at no time did a worker uproot a tree in the way that was depicted in the Ma'ariv and Kol HaZman articles. However, despite JNF-KKL intentions to operate efficiently and by the book, the workers at the Ein Kerem center were not following appropriate afforestation practices of watering, planting and maintenance which led to the saplings' inability to take root in the soil. The saplings were then removed without a supervisor's approval or knowledge. Segalson placed the responsibility for this isolated incident on the lack of proper strong supervision at the center.

JNF-KKL chairmen commented in response to Segalson's statement, "It is important for us not to just assume that everyone will always follow strict policy, but to ensure that the policies are followed by instituting stronger supervision at the centers as Judge Segalson recommended."

In Segalson's report, he was highly critical of the reporter who wrote the article that appeared in both Ma'ariv and the local Israeli newspaper Kol HaZman. He ruled that "the facts as described in the article by the reporter were baseless, distorted and do not reflect reality." He continued, "the photographs that were included as part of the article distort the reality in the field and the comments accompanying the photos are misleading. A more serious reporter would have totally avoided unnecessarily tarnishing the image of a most significant national institution, namely JNF-KKL, that has accompanied the Zionist movement and holds the link between the Jewish people and Israel for the future - especially given the stunning lack of corroboration for the allegations."

Executives of JNF-KKL met after the submission of Segalson's report and determined that the current professionals in charge of the tree planting center were not properly supervising their workers to ensure that policy was being carried out. They decided to use this as an opportunity to restructure the management of the program, which will increase efficiency and streamline the operation of the "Plant a Tree With Your Own Hands" program by moving it to the Department of Afforestation. This department is responsible for the successful planting of over 2.5 million trees each year.

JNF-KKL has submitted a formal complaint to police officials against the reporter on the basis of the fabricated photographs and misleading article that led to a tarnished image of JNF-KKL. To date, JNF-KKL has successfully planted over 210 million trees in Israel since 1901.

Ronald S. Lauder, president of JNF of America commented after reviewing the findings, "I am proud to be the president leading JNF of America in partnership with the people of Israel to not only afforest Israel but to also provide Israel with adequate water resources. The 250,000 tree buyers who plant trees through JNF in America each year should know that our tree planting programs are vital to the environmental stability of Israel - the only nation in the world to have more trees at the end of the 20th century than it did at the beginning. We take that responsibility very seriously."

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