Severe air pollution events underscore a growing national emergency: uncontrolled waste fires are endangering public health across Israel and Judea and Samaria. Adam Teva V’Din is now warning that continued government failure to act may lead to legal action against the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
An environmental scourge with heavy human cost
In recent years, waste fires have become a daily occurrence at thousands of illegal dumping sites throughout Israel and Judea and Samaria. These fires release toxic pollutants and extreme odors, causing serious harm to the health and quality of life of hundreds of thousands of residents, from the north to the south of the country.
The scale of the crisis is stark. According to the State Comptroller’s 2024 report, more than 50,000 public complaints have been filed over air pollution, health impacts, and odor nuisances linked to waste burning. The cumulative cost of illness, premature mortality, and damage to the economy and agriculture is expected to reach NIS 9.1 billion by 2030.
A Declarative Document rather than a Strategic Plan
A recent incident in Shoham, where residents were forced to seal themselves inside their homes due to extreme air pollution, is not an isolated event. It is part of an ongoing and systemic failure. Illegal waste burning has become a nationwide phenomenon; only now, after two years, has the Minister of Environmental Protection issued the long awaited strategic plan mandated by Government Resolution 592 in June, 2023, and only now, after growing pressure from local authorities, Adam Teva V’Din and other environmental organizations.
Far from reading like a strategic plan to address environmental hazards and transboundary pollution originating in Judea and Samaria, the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s plan is a general statement lacking in basic components required for implementation.
Amit Bracha, Executive Director of Adam Teva V’Din points out that a real strategic plan is one of binding timetables, long-term budgets, clear division of responsibilities, staffing plans, or measurable success targets. “Minister Silman’s plan has none of these elements, and it risks remaining a declarative document rather than an operational solution, regrettably.”
Moreover, he adds, its budget of NIS 35.7 million is allocated to 2026 and does not ensure sustained, multi-year action. “Given the enormous economic and health costs of waste fires, even a modest long-term investment could significantly reduce – and potentially eradicate – the phenomenon.
Enforcement Requires New Tools and Coordination
Adam Teva V’Din emphasizes that expanding existing enforcement mechanisms is not enough. Waste fires constitute a real emergency front that requires new thinking and upgraded capabilities. Effective response must include advanced technologies such as drones, remote cameras, night-vision equipment, real-time reporting applications, satellite monitoring, and integrated command-and-control systems.These tools must be deployed within a clear enforcement framework, supported by a multi-year budget and managed by a designated coordinating body. Continuous cooperation is essential between the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Civil Administration, security forces, police, and local authorities.
A Clear Demand – and a Legal Warning
Adam Teva V’Din has called the Ministry of Environmental Protection to:
- Immediately complete the missing elements of the strategic plan, including schedules, budgets, division of powers, and measurable targets
- Provide regular, transparent reports on implementation progress
- Ensure the plan is translated into concrete action on the ground
In light of the continued failure to protect the public, Adam Teva V’Din has warned that it may take legal action against the Ministry of Environmental Protection for violating the Clean Air Law, which obligates the Minister and her ministry to take all necessary measures to prevent and reduce air pollution that leads to illness and loss of life.
In the meantime, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Finance have presented to the Knesset their own plan, focusing on solutions that include confiscating Palestinian waste trucks but with no stated alternative for waste-burning. Amit Bracha called on Minister of Defense Israel Katz to look at the data on the volume of pirate waste dumping by criminal elements who have for years been transferring waste from Israel to the ‘national backyard’ beyond the Green Line.
“The government has the tools and the authority to implement a comprehensive overhaul of the many elements that contribute to cross-boundary environmental pollution – and it must be held accountable for doing so. We are monitoring the situation with the strategic plan and are ready to take legal action if its shortcomings cause people to suffer from serious air pollution due to the government’s inadequate plan just released.”
