Israeli Official Accuses Iran of ‘Environmental Terrorism’ and Polluting Israeli Shores

Gila Gamliel, Israel’s environmental minister, said on Wednesday, March 4, that Iran was responsible for “environmental terrorism” through recent oil pollution on Israeli shores.

According to Reuters and Tel Aviv media reports, the Israeli minister stated that her country had “discovered” that the oil tanker that caused a massive oil spill in the Mediterranean Sea near Israeli shores had departed from Iran.

She said the tanker loaded its oil from Iran, departed from the Persian Gulf, and on the night of February 3, after passing through the Suez Canal, turned off its radar as it approached Israeli shores. After spilling oil, it turned its radar back on again as it approached Syrian shores.

The minister added that the incident was not a maritime crime but rather “environmental terrorism,” stating that Israel has “strong evidence” of Iran’s connection to it. She did not present these details.

The Israeli minister also stated that the tanker “Emerald” is privately owned by a Libyan party and operates under a Panamanian flag.

Israel called the oil pollution three weeks ago on its shores unprecedented and asked citizens to avoid approaching the beaches for several days.

Israeli authorities said they attempted to “precisely identify” the ship that caused this maritime disaster through satellite images and wave movement simulation.

Alongside forces affiliated with Israeli official organizations, environmental activist groups in the country, including artists, have worked in recent days to clean up oil stains, including rescuing sea turtles contaminated with oil.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, and many Israeli officials and politicians were among those who joined public groups to clean up the spills.

Israeli media reported that the death of a whale and its oil-soaked carcass falling into the Mediterranean Sea off the port of Askelon sounded the initial alarm about the occurrence of a major oil spill on Israeli shores.

The oil spill has polluted 170 kilometers of the Mediterranean Sea along the coasts of several countries.

Oil stains have also reached Lebanese shores, prompting reactions from Beirut officials.

Lebanese officials said that Israel’s “inability” and failure to quickly address this disaster led to oil stains reaching Lebanese shores. Hundreds of Lebanese volunteers spent days attempting to clean up the oil pollution.

Iran has not responded to Israel’s new accusation regarding “environmental terrorism” on Israeli shores.

However, Iran categorically rejected Israel’s accusation from a few days ago that it was responsible for an attack with mines or rockets on an Israeli car carrier ship in the waters of the Oman Sea.

Iran said that Benjamin Netanyahu, by repeatedly accusing Iran of various charges, has demonstrated that he suffers from obsessive thinking and mental illness.

Israel’s prime minister and defense minister said that Iran “clearly” played a role in the attack on the car carrier ship named “MV Helios Ray” from ships of the “Helios Ray” company. The mentioned company belongs to Rami Ungar, a close friend of Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen.

The “Helios Ray” ship suffered minor material damage, and none of its 28 crew members were harmed.

The ship left the UAE on March 4, two days after anchoring for repairs in the port of Dubai, to resume its work in vehicle transportation.

Israeli media reported that senior government, military, and security officials of the country held a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz to review ways to “punish” Iran for the attack on the “Helios Ray” ship and issued necessary orders for operational response to military bodies.

While it is unclear what action Israel will take in response to the “Helios Ray” incident, Israel’s environmental minister said that her country’s “hand” will also reach those responsible for “environmental terrorism.”

Source: Radio Farda