MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) blasted Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau’s decision to authorize new oil and gas regulations. The regulations, which the ministry said will now require environmental certification for certain drillings, distinguish between “temporary drilling sites” and “commercial sites slated for production.”

In Khenin’s opinion, however, the government should revamp the entire 1952 Oil Law, which he labels as archaic and asking for disaster. “We cannot provide a green route for oil drilling,” Khenin said. “Such drilling, in the sea and on land, holds enormous environmental risks. Concessions that the government is now providing are likely to lead to grave environmental crises, like the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. There cannot be any supertanker that will repair the tremendous damage created.” The government, he continued must “urgently enact an updated and balanced oil law” to protect its citizens from oversights and disasters that often occur in drilling situations. “Oil tycoons will benefit from the new regulations, but I am afraid that we will all pay dearly,” Khenin said.

Gulf of Mexico disaster (Photo: Libcom)

MK Khenin also demanded Thursday that the authorities urgently clarify the source of the acrid smell in the Tel Aviv region, and take the necessary steps to protect the public. “This is further proof that we must act meticulously and carefully on environmental issues, when dealing with actions that could endanger the environment and public health,” Khenin said. He added that he regretted the government was going in the opposite direction, “instead of advancing a green path, it is making it easier to drill for gas and oil in the sea and beaches.”