On Earth Day, Environmentalists Warn Red Sea Coral Reefs ‘Under Severe Threat’ Maya Margit Popular Israeli, Jordanian and Egyptian tourist destinations also imperiled by Israel-UAE oil transport deal A plan to transport crude oil from the Persian Gulf to Europe has put Israel’s renowned coral reefs “under severe threat,” according to environmentalists, and could also cause untold damage to the tourism industry in the region. Israel and the United Arab Emirates recently signed a deal to bring Emirati crude oil via tanker to a pipeline in the Red Sea port city of Eilat, a popular tourist destination in southern Israel. The area is home to world-renowned coral reefs and marine wildlife.