Suspected foot-and-mouth cases investigated in Palestine

Suspected cases of foot-and-mouth are being investigated in Palestine.

Three sheep in the West Bank towns of Hebron and Jenin are believed to have the disease, Agriculture Minister Hikmat Zaid claims.

Israel's Agriculture Ministry says travel restrictions and road closures, imposed because of Palestinian-Israeli violence, have prevented Palestinians from vaccinating livestock.

"We have sent the tests to the laboratory, and we are waiting for the results," Mr Zaid said.

"There is a threat to Palestinian farms, and if we do not take immediate protection, our farms in Palestine and in the region will be in danger," he told Al Ayyam newspaper.

Oded Nir, director of veterinary services at the Agriculture Ministry, said: "The Palestinians are not asking (for Israeli assistance). We used to identify the strains of disease for them. Now they are not shipping us samples."

"We also have no confirmation that the information the (Palestinian) minister gave is correct," he told Israel radio.