Palestinian Pollution ‘Murders’ Thousands of Fish, Officials Say

Thousands of dead fish were observed in Nachal Alexander (Alexander River), a perennial stream that stretches from the hills of Shomron to the Mediterranean in the vicinity of Netanya. Environmental officials attributed the “murder” of the fish to Palestinians, who were using the stream to dump effluent and toxic materials that are used in the olive harvest.

The harvest, which is taking place during the current period, entails picking olives and turning them into olive oil. Harsh chemicals are used by Arabs in this process – often making consumption of the olive oil they produce hazardous – and the Arabs have been using the stream as a “sewer” to dump the chemicals, resulting in the death of the fish.

As a result of the poisoning of the stream by the Arabs, several of the hundreds-year-old turtles that inhabit an estuary marshland where the stream flows into the sea are also in danger, officials said. At least one turtle is said to have been killed by the poison.

Officials said that this was a situation that repeated itself annually, and that so far Israel has not found a solution for it. The Parks and Nature Authority, which is responsible for the stream, has said that it is “fed up” with the situation and would demand from the government an immediate solution.