Thousands of volunteers help clean up Israel’s polluted beaches

It’s not just about cleaning up beaches, says professor of biological oceanography Ilana Berman-Frank. “These types of accidents affect the entire food chain, on the beach and at sea. Tar and oil block the supply of light and oxygen, causing the death of animals and plants. The effects can last for many years. years. “

Living tissue

Cleaning up the beach isn’t that easy either, says director Arik Rosenblum of the nature organization Ecoocean, which has been busy with thousands of volunteers in recent days. “It’s difficult to remove tar without damaging nature,” he says. “You quickly pull living tissue with you because it’s so sticky.”

In addition to conservationists, the government has also deployed soldiers to help with the cleanup. But according to the environmental movement, government aid starts slowly and is not enough.

Obligation of confidentiality

The investigation into the cause of the oil spill is also underway. Presumably, an oil tanker spilled fuel a few weeks ago. We still do not know which ship it was. The Environment Ministry said it had a dozen suspicious vessels in sight.

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