Residents Appeal Against Concrete Plant Near Beit Shemesh, Citing Severe Pollution Risks

Residents of Beit Shemesh and Moshav Naham have filed an appeal against plans to build a concrete plant near their homes, arguing that the permit was issued without legal authority and without approval from Israel’s Environmental Protection Ministry. The regional planning and building committee in Jerusalem approved the plant at the Samson quarry in the Har Tuv industrial area, and the residents say it is meant to be only hundreds of meters from a residential neighborhood.

Yiftach Lulai, head of the Naham community committee, said the planned concrete plant and power station would be about 500 meters from homes. He said the existing quarry already creates heavy dust and severe air pollution, and warned, “If the plant is built, it will be the biggest environmental nuisance in the area.”

Another resident, beekeeper Eitan Haveroni, said locals would suffer from pollution, noise and truck traffic, which he said would harm breathing, health and agriculture. He argued that the project could significantly raise cancer risk and accused the city of prioritizing business interests to reduce its deficit, saying, “They are simply doing whatever they want and sacrificing the lives of the residents.”

The appeal says the approval was granted without the required consultations with professionals and government ministries, and without mandatory approvals from the Environmental Protection Ministry, the drainage authority or a transport plan. The residents note that the decision was made during Operation “Rising Lion,” when the committee operated in a reduced format because of the emergency. They warn the plant could contaminate Nahal Sorek, Nahal Shimshon and local groundwater. Lawyer Neria Bar-On, who represents the opponents, called it “a permit born in sin,” and said the permit was rushed through without the necessary clearances. The Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee had not responded.