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Jewish Ledger
Toxic tar spill is ‘one of the most serious ecological disasters’ in Israel’s history
(JNS) Tons of toxic tar have washed ashore along Israel’s entire Mediterranean coastline over the weekend. Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority is calling the episode “one of the most serious ecological disasters” in the country’s history.
The cause of the pollution is under investigation, but is believed to have been caused by an oil spill from a single vessel off of Israel’s coast. The black tar washed ashore following a significant winter storm. The scope of the incident became apparent when a dead 17-foot whale washed ashore in Ashkelon on Friday.
Powerful winds and unusually high waves pummelled Israel's entire Mediterranean coastline, with tonnes of tar staining beaches from Rosh Hanikra, just south of Lebanon, to Ashkelon just north of Gaza.
Officials said it is an environmental blow that will take months or years to clean up. The tar, itself apparently released by a ship unloading oil or by old tar lifted by the storm from the seabed, killed many marine creatures.
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