Environmental Chief Warns Illegal Waste Fires Will Persist Without State Enforcement in West Bank

At a recent environmental protection and recycling conference hosted by Channel 14, Shani Gazit, head of the "We Are Suffocating" initiative, issued a stark warning about the lack of environmental governance in the West Bank. She highlighted that illegal waste fires pose a severe health risk to thousands of Israeli residents and criticized the state's insufficient enforcement against this ongoing problem.

Gazit explained that many individuals profit from illegal waste dumping, which is the cheapest disposal method, and that without intensive state intervention, these fires will continue. She emphasized that this issue extends beyond the city of Shoham, affecting thousands across Israel, and described a significant governmental vacuum in addressing the crisis.

Residents of Shoham have had to fund and install a provisional camera and alert system to monitor fires, as past incidents burned for weeks without official response. Gazit called on the government to immediately intervene by establishing a national camera network, enhancing existing systems, and empowering the Civil Administration with better tools and resources.

She also proposed organizing a hackathon to generate technological solutions and urged increased investment beyond current levels to effectively combat illegal waste fires and protect public health.