A Libyan ship that left Iran is responsible for the unprecedented pollution of Israel’s shores, according to an investigation by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The “Emerland” tanker made its way to Syria and emitted dozens of tons of tar as it passed off the coast of the country. There is no absolute certainty that she did so with the aim of polluting the shores of Israel, but the circumstantial evidence indicates this with high probability.
According to the information, the tanker sailed with switches off until it approached the Suez Canal, then turned them on. As it approached Israel’s economic waters, it turned off the transmitters again for less than a day, between February 1 and 2, during which it spilled the pollutant. She then turned on the transmitters again and continued on her way to Syria, where she unloaded the rest of the luggage on it.
It is an old ship, 19 years old, and as a result can not be received at the ports of Europe and the United States. The ship is currently in Iran. “This is a crude oil tanker called Emerald, owned and operated by a Libyan, which carried pirated cargo from Iran to Syria. The ship carries the Panama flag. Iran is waging terrorism not only by attempting to arm itself with nuclear weapons or by trying to establish itself within our borders.”
“Iran is waging terrorism by harming the environment. Our fight for nature and animals should be cross-border. Together, we will consider the person responsible for environmental terrorism who has committed a crime against humanity. We will continue to rehabilitate the damaged beaches and animals. Together we will defeat and remove pollution from our shores.” , “Said the minister.
Prior to the briefing, the Minister tweeted at noon that “we have put our hand on the criminal ship. Our long arm will reach everyone who harms our nature, the sea and our beaches.” The heavy pollution reached the shores of the country about two weeks ago – “with the help” of the storm – when it hit all the shores of the country – from Rosh Hanikra in the north to Zikim in the south, and was soon defined as the most serious marine pollution in Israel for decades.
“Infection has a directed hand”
The firm’s CEO, David Yahalomi, added. “Pollution has a direct hand and a clear address. Our efforts have borne the brunt of the culprits. But the treasures of nature and the marine environment are important to all of us. We will do everything we can to protect them for us and for future generations.”
Rani Amir, director of the maritime unit at the Ministry of the Environment, said: “We have no doubt that this is the tanker that caused the pollution. This is the first time in eight years that it has entered the Mediterranean basin and a few days before sailing to us with a Malta flag and Panama flag to disguise it. Libya and our conclusions are circumstantial and very strong. “
At the moment, according to the Ministry of Health, some of the beaches may be defined as safe to stay after receiving the results of a water quality test, although in the meantime the instruction is to avoid staying at the beaches – including bathing and sports activities. A week and a half ago, the Ministry of Health banned the marketing of fish and marine animals caught in the Mediterranean until further notice.
In terms of damage: The disaster has already claimed the lives of fish, birds, sand crabs and various marine creatures as only six of the 21 turtles that came to the Nature Authority’s Sea Turtle Rescue Center and the Danes managed to survive with the estimate that hundreds of sea turtles were injured and died at sea. Most of the damage is in the fencing tables in the rocky areas where most of the biological activity is. It is still unclear how long it will take to rehabilitate the area and to what extent the environmental impact of the pollution is or that it is clear that its consequences – and the need to rehabilitate the areas – are for years.
With regard to the allegations made against the ministry and Minister Gamliel, that an advance warning may have been received that could have allegedly prevented the consequences of the pollution – as well as a restraining order regarding the investigation (which was reduced after a day) and which was perceived as a lack of transparency – the ministry stressed several times. In advance of the incident and in any case – even in a situation where such a warning would have been received, then about eighty percent of the tar would still have reached the beaches in any case. Environmental factors emphasize the current need to emphasize the continued rapid cleaning of beaches and the timely opening of the bathing season.