Air pollution from illegal waste burning in the Palestinian Authority kills more than 1,000 Israelis each year, environmental groups told lawmakers last week, as Israel moves to combat what officials are calling a campaign of deliberate “eco-terrorism.”
The Knesset’s Subcommittee on Judea and Samaria Affairs convened on Thursday to address the escalating health crisis caused by smoke from dozens of pirate garbage disposal sites operating across Palestinian Authority-controlled territories.
The toxic fumes, generated by the daily burning of plastics, batteries, and other hazardous materials, have transformed large swaths of central Israel into zones where residents must seal their homes and keep children indoors to avoid respiratory illness.
Some 250,000 Israelis living in communities along the Samaria security barrier face what Channel 12 News described as an “escalating environmental and health emergency.” Tens of thousands of residents in Emek Hefer, Menashe, Shoham, and surrounding towns have reported sleepless nights, strong odors, and respiratory problems.
Eco-terrorism is a real and pressing concern for the inhabitants of Judea and Samaria. It is not simply a fashionable phrase that describes a generation anxious about what they perceive as a worldwide crisis impacting humanity. The eco-terrorism targeting the residents signifies a distinct form of terror that necessitates Israel’s prompt focus. It serves as an additional facet of the ongoing terrorist agenda aimed at damaging and eradicating Israel.