Pirate dumps, fires and carcasses: The unusual warning from Nahal Yatir
The Regavim movement warns of severe pollution in a stream in the Negev and demands increased enforcement against those responsible. According to them, waste is burned and dumped without permission, and animal carcasses are accumulating in the area. Ahead of winter, the movement warns: rains could wash away the waste, block the stream's channel, and cause flooding.
Large quantities of waste, garbage burning sites, and animal carcasses are accumulating in Nahal Yatir in the Negev — this is the warning from the Regavim movement, which has appealed to government ministers and enforcement authorities with a demand to address the hazards and prosecute those responsible. The movement warns that ahead of winter, the waste could be washed away by rainwater, block the stream's channel, and lead to flooding.
According to Regavim, pirate dumps have been established in the Nahal Yatir area where waste is dumped in large volumes, and in some locations, it is even burned without permission. Alongside this, they state that animal carcasses are accumulating in the area, partly as a result of illegal grazing.
In a letter sent by the movement to government ministers and enforcement officials, it was written:
"The criminals dump and burn waste in dumps without any legal permit."
According to the movement, the activity creates environmental and health hazards and is made possible due to the lack of sufficient enforcement in the area.
Regavim demands to increase inspection activities, impose fines, and open criminal proceedings against those responsible for the illegal dumps. The movement further claims that a significant portion of the activity occurs on weekends, and therefore the presence of enforcement agencies should be reinforced precisely on these days.
Yehuda Kapach, director of the southern district at the Regavim movement, stated:
"The stream suffers from severe neglect and serious pollution that threatens its future. The accumulation of waste, carcasses, garbage, and severe criminal activity that exploits the lack of oversight causes severe damage to flora and fauna and leads to almost irreversible damage."
According to him, the danger could worsen with the start of the rainy season: the waste that has accumulated in the area could be washed away, block the stream's channel, and cause flooding.
Barak Varker from the "Yarok Achshav" organization added that "where there is no governance, the first to be harmed is the environment," and warned that the pollution in the Negev expanses could also have consequences for air quality and water sources.
