Los israelíes controlan el 10% del territorio lunar privado.

Explosion of sales for pieces of land on our satellite that is up for private sale
For the company that is handling the offer, "It's an excellent occasion and a good investment."

"10 per cent of the Moon belongs to Israelis"

JERUSALEM - The fascination of outer space, with its promise of remote lands yet to be explored, remains undying. What to say then of the Moon itself, nothing short of irresistible. Especially for the Israelis, who own no less than 10 per cent of it. Giving the news of it is the Jerusalem Post: the Israelis are now owners of 10 per cent of the the satellite's territory put on sale for private ownership. It's a mania that was started on Internet, where it is possible to give the strangest of gifts such as donating to a newborn child a star that bears his or her name, or, as here, buying a piece of the Moon. For some it is only an extravagance, but many consider it to be a form of investment, that will allow them to appropriate terrain that will have a future value destined to go through the roof.

"Certain Israelis think that it's an original gift, but not only that, they think of it as a good deal, something that their children will be able to take advantage of in the future," the Israeli Tom Wegner, of the Crazy Shop company said. Through their Internet site they offer the strangest of merchandise, including lunar terrain. There are at least 10,ooo Israelis, according to Wegner, who have already grabbed up a lot of the Moon, since when in the year 2000 it became possible for private individuals to purchase single portions. This sum then translates into 10 per cent of those 40 million square kilometres that have already been sold all over the world.

Wegner assures us that it is an outstanding business deal. The price is still accessible: 60 US dollars for half an acre. But, one has to act fast, because very soon the price could increase in a dizzying manner, influenced by the renewed interest that the Americans have for the Space race. President George W Bush has made it a matter of personal interest: man will return to the Moon in 2015 and there he will create a permanent basse, this is the promise, at least. And the next step will be Mars. Who wants to wager that lots of the Red Planet will soon become a best-seller for Crazy Shop?

Israelis own 10 percent of the privately owned area on the moon,
according to Tom Wegner, a spokesman for Crazyshop, a company that sells plots of moon land to private individuals in Israel.

About 10,000 Israelis have purchased moon property since it became available in 2000. Of the 10 million acres sold worldwide, 1 million are owned by residents of Israel, Wegner said Wednesday.

"Some Israelis believe that buying land on the moon is an original gift and a great investment that their grandchildren might benefit from," he told The Jerusalem Post.

Israeli moon property sales rose dramatically last month following
NASA's announcement on December 5 that it would establish an
"international base camp" on one of the moon's poles, landing
astronauts in 2020 - and setting up a permanent colony four years
later.

Although the sales also increased in the United States, nowhere in the world were they as high as in Israel. While about 9,000 Israelis
purchased plots from 2000 until December's announcement, a full 1,000 did so over the last month, Wegman said. "This trend will continue to increase in Israel; it is a snowball effect," he said.

Israelis make their purchases through a Web site run by Crazyshop,
which also offers other "out of this world" products such as the
opportunity to name a star after a loved one. The company, which claims to be the exclusive place to buy moon property, is a franchise owned by American Dennis Hop, who "owns the moon," according to Wegman.

For some the attraction may be the appeal of a promising investment. At only NIS 250 for 500 square meters of moon, "it is such a small investment that everyone can afford it," Wegner said.

The eventual payoff could be much greater due to a loophole in
international law, said Ron Movshovitz, a legal adviser for the Israel
Space Society.

The United Nations' Outer Space Treaty banned states from purchasing land in space, but allowed individual citizens to purchase land, said Movshovitz.

As a result, it is possible that in the near future NASA will have to
buy land from the private property owners, enabling them to demand large sums for their plots.

However, said Wegman, not all the buyers are concerned with finances. Owning land in outer space appeals to those out for adventure, and many buyers look forward to the time they can visit their properties, he reported.

US-based Space Adventure plans to send tourists to the moon seven to 10 years from now. But at $100 million a trip, space travel will be beyond the budget of many moon land owners.

Instead, they may have to settle for a picture of their property.
Crazyshop provides a kit containing an image of the plots marked on a moon map and a certificate of ownership.