Residents of Emek Hefer and Carmel regions protest against facilities for offshore natural gas

Holding banners featuring a welter of slogans like “Don’t Play With Fire!” and “Carmel Doesn’t Need a Second Disaster,” residents of the Carmel and Emek Hefer region on Tuesday protested the planned construction of natural gas treatment sites in their midst. Bearing signs and beating drums, some 250 demonstrators from the two regions packed the plaza outside the Energy and Water Ministry’s Jerusalem offices.

The demonstrators in front of the Energy and Water Ministry's Jerusalem offices (Photo: Struggle Committee)

The protest followed last week’s heated Knesset Internal Affairs and Environment Committee meeting, during which MKs Dov Khenin (Hadash) and Isaac Herzog (Labor) questioned the need to build refining stations onshore, at Hagit in the Megiddo region and a second facility in Emek Hefer. During the Knesset discussion last week, Khenin asked that the committee examine the placement of the gas processing sites, and the committee committed to holding an additional discussion on the subject after the Knesset recess.

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