Adam Teva V’Din and Citizens for Clean Air are demanding that the government immediately implement its own decision to tackle the widespread burning of waste across the Green Line.

In 2023, the government approved Resolution 592, which required a strategic plan to address transboundary environmental hazards in the Judea and Samaria region. A team was to be established within 60 days and the plan presented by January 2024. Nearly two years later, no such plan has been formulated or published.

Dr. Aryeh Wenger, Chief Scientist at Adam Teva V’Din:
“At thousands of sites across Israel and Judea and Samaria, illegal dumping and burning release smoke, particles, carcinogens, and other toxins that endanger the health and quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people. Instead of confronting this scourge, the government continues to drag its feet. We demand immediate action to stop this serious hazard.”

The scale of the problem has been documented for years. State Comptroller reports in 2017 and 2023 highlighted the urgent need for a systematic policy on environmental management in the region. They noted over 50,000 public complaints about air pollution and odors from burning waste, while revealing that 40% of Israel’s electronic waste is smuggled into Palestinian Authority territories, where much of it is openly burned. Added to this are some 180,000 tons of mixed Palestinian waste incinerated each year, creating severe cross-border air pollution.

Yet despite these findings and the binding cabinet decision, the government has failed to act.

Amit Bracha, CEO of Adam Teva V’Din:
“Once again, the government has approved a binding resolution and the Ministers have failed to implement it. We call on the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Environmental Protection to immediately carry out Resolution 592 and deliver a strategic plan for managing cross-border environmental hazards.”