Israel to be compensated NIS 50 million for tar on beach after oil spill

The ecological disaster that struck the Mediterranean Sea in February washed up over 70 tons of tar onto Israel's shores.

A clump of tar is seen on the sand an after an offshore oil spill drenched much of Israel's Mediterranean shoreline with tar, at a beach in Ashdod, southern Israel February 21, 2021 (photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
A clump of tar is seen on the sand an after an offshore oil spill drenched much of Israel's Mediterranean shoreline with tar, at a beach in Ashdod, southern Israel February 21, 2021
(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
The International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds will compensate Israel for the oil spill that led to tar on local beaches several months ago, the Environmental Protection Ministry announced last Thursday.
Israel, which has been a member of the IOPC Funds since 2006, sustained a loss of about NIS 50 million due to the spill, the ministry said in a press release. The foundation’s executive committee, which meets biannually, unanimously accepted Israel’s request for compensation. All member states voted in favor.
The ecological disaster that struck the Mediterranean Sea in February washed up more than 70 tons of tar onto Israel’s shores, and at least 1,200 tons are still in the ocean, the ministry said.
According to an investigation conducted by the ministry and international shipping journal Lloyd’s List, the source of the spill was the Iranian-owned oil tanker Emerald, which was carrying 90,000 tons of crude oil from Iran to Syria.
The incident was “ecoterrorism,” former environmental protection minister Gila Gamliel (Likud) said at the time.
“Israel will be compensated for the tar disaster,” Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) said last week. “The damage caused to our ocean and the wildlife as a result of the spill was significant, and the incident emphasizes our preference to prevent further oil spills by moving to renewable energy.”