Ynet: "Israel" Heads towards Maritime Disaster

Local Editor

A new report by the "Israeli" Zalul Environmental Association warned that "Tel Aviv government's lax guidelines regarding oil and gas drilling permits in the Mediterranean Sea may prove disastrous."

"The government of "Israel" is taking an enormous financial and environmental risk by allowing the gas and oil companies to drill in the Mediterranean prior to setting clear regulations in the field," "Israeli" Ynet daily quoted the association's report as reading.

It further warned that the Zionist entity "doesn't have the proper enforcement capabilities and lacks a contingency plan to deal with the event of a leak."
In parallel, Zalul group feared "The government continues to favor industrial interests over public ones, shoreline and ocean's conservation."
According to the report, "These deficiencies expose both "Israel" and its public's pension funds - which are invested, to an extent, in such ventures - to the risk of having to pay for the results of a leak, such as contamination cleanup, damages for casualties and possible legal action by other nations, whose waters may be affected in case of a leak."

Furthermore, it cautioned that ""Israel" has no maritime disaster contingency plan, not does it require entrepreneurs to demonstrate they have one.
In this context, Zalul Director Maya Jacobs said that the group "Has been trying for months to convince the government to take some brave steps and suspend the drilling projects pending the formulation of proper regulation and legislation."

"This is a risky adventure that can turn from a sweet financial dream to a haunting environmental nightmare. An environmental disaster... would sink not only the entrepreneurs' hopes, but also the beaches, tourism, the fishing industry, maritime transportation, the desalination projects and the power industry... As well as cost the government and the public a fortune in damages," she warned.


Source: Ynet, Edited by moqawama.org