Israel has closed all beaches in the Mediterranean Sea due to an oil spill

Israel cerró este domingo todas sus playas hacia el Mar Mediterráneo hasta nuevo aviso, días después de que un derrame de crudo lejos de la costa arrojó decenas de toneladas de alquitrán a lo largo de más de 160 kilómetros (100 millas) from litoral, in What the authorities consider the worst ecological disaster in the country.

Activists began to report sticky tar spots on the shore Israel last week after a severe storm dumped petroleum products ashore, causing ravages wildlife. Investigators from the country’s agriculture ministry determined on Sunday that a juvenile fin whale whose remains reached a beach in southern Israel died from ingesting the black, viscous liquid, according to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority called the spill “one of the most serious ecological disasters” in the country’s history. In 2014, an oil spill in the Arava Desert caused severe damage to one of the country’s delicate ecosystems.

Always the exact cause of the spill is unknown, which is currently under investigation by Israeli environmental authorities.

Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel told Hebrew media that her agency believes that the cleaning tasks will cost tens of millions of new shekels (the national currency).

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu visited the beaches of Ashdod, located south of Tel Aviv, to help with the clean-up operation and salute the minister’s work.

“We have to look to the future. This fact and similar events around the world show us how essential it is to move away from polluting energies in favor of renewable energies.Gamliel pointed out.

“This is the worst I have ever seen”, The director of the National Parks and Nature Authority, Shaul Goldstein, lamented in comments collected by public radio. “All the beaches are affected. The cleaning will take months or more ”, regretted.

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