Arson at Wastewater Plant Floods Southern Streams with Raw Sewage

Criminal activity and environmental negligence are threatening water resources and nature in southern Israel, following the arson of the Shoket wastewater treatment facility's electrical room. The perpetrators, allegedly motivated by extortion demands, have caused the complete shutdown of the plant. Consequently, approximately 30,000 cubic meters of untreated sewage are being discharged daily into the Hebron, Beersheba, and Besor streams. This incident exacerbates a long-standing problem involving illegal stone quarries in the southern Hebron Hills, which are reportedly overloading the sewage system with mineral waste and stone dust. Professional assessments indicate that millions of tons of sediment have accumulated in the treatment facilities, posing a direct threat to the environment, agriculture, and groundwater. The "Regavim" movement and the "Yarok Achshav" association have petitioned the High Court of Justice (Baggatz), urging security forces and authorities to enforce the law in Area C of the West Bank. They warn that the combination of extortion in the Negev and environmental disregard in the West Bank constitutes a severe failure with widespread public consequences.