Israel's beaches see more tar as oil spill consequences continue
The Environmental Protection Ministry has estimated that the amount that washed up is a small amount of what is still in the ocean: 1,200 tons.
By SARAH BEN-NUNA man wears a glove covered with tar as Israeli soldiers and volunteers clean tar from the sand after an offshore oil spill drenched much of Israel's Mediterranean shoreline, at a beach in Atlit, Israel February 22, 2021. (photo credit: REUTERS/RONEN ZEVULUN)
As Israel's shores continue to sustain the damages incurred by the oil spill, more tar has surfaced along the coasts, including the Betzet, Beit Yanai, Tel Dor and Dor Habonim beaches, Walla reported, citing the Nature and Parks Authority on Friday.The oil spill that struck the Mediterranean Sea in February has been dubbed an ecological disaster, leading to the death of many animals, and the washing up of massive quantities of tar — over 70 tons — on Israel's shores.The Environmental Protection Ministry has estimated that the amount that washed up is a small amount of what is still in the ocean: 1,200 tons.Tar lumps were sighted as early as February 15, prompting calls for emergency protocols and cleaning crews.While the tar can be cleaned up on smooth sand beaches, it is much harder to clean from rocky beaches, so the tar remains.Hundreds of volunteers have arrived at the 160 km stretches of the Israeli coastline that has sustained the tar pollution to clean it up, including IDF soldiers with disabilities.The beach pollution "is one of the most dire we've ever seen in Israel," according to Nature and Parks Authority Director-General Shaul Goldstein.The texture of the tar seems to be from an oil or gas spill passing along Israel's shores.This interactive map shows how severe the tar spills are in different parts of the coast, in a traffic light system, red signifying beaches that have not been cleaned up at all, and green marking light pollution levels.Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel has pointed the finger at Iran, calling the intentional spill "eco-terrorism." Her claims were later backed up by Lloy'd List, a leading international shipping journal.Rossella Tercatin, Idan Zonshine and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
