The Haifa District Court (Water Tribunal) ruled that the Dead Sea Works pumps hundreds of millions of cubic meters of water every year in violation of the law.
Adam Teva V’Din’s petition stated to the Water Tribunal stated that the drop in water level in the northern basin of the Dead Sea damages infrastructure and creates sinkholes that endanger the public, reduce sea area, harm natural values and endanger communities in the area.
The Court ruled that pumping water from the Dead Sea must be in accordance with a specific license, rejecting Dead Sea Works’ claim that the Dead Sea is not a water source as defined under the Water Law. The Court gave the Water Authority six months to determine the licensing conditions under which water can be extracted.