Environmental groups warned government continues to favor capitalist interests over public ones, shoreline and sea’s conservation. “The government has failed, yet again, to protect the seas from pollution in 2011,” a report by the Zalul Environmental Association told the Knesset Environmental Committee last week.  The environmental group’s report, titled “Sea Situation” accused the government of “favoring the interests put forward by entrepreneurs, industries, and oil and gas explorers, at the expense of pubic interests.”

“It seems the ocean is the most neglected area in the country,” warning Committee Chairman MK Dov Khenin (Hadash). He noted that while the State has been able to reduce the land-derived maritime pollution, “Israel’s waters still face threats from other sources of pollution.” He added that State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss has been asked to probe “the local authorities’ squabbles in order to prevent a serious ecological disaster in our waters.”