Tiberias Businesses Protest Waste Disposal Fees with Street Blockade

Business owners in Tiberias staged a protest by blocking Galil Street to oppose recent waste disposal fee demands reaching thousands of shekels. The fees, based on estimated waste quantities, have sparked outrage as some businesses received charges disproportionate to their actual waste production. For example, a shawarma shop was billed 13,000 shekels, with calculations suggesting it produced 17 tons of waste despite generating only a few garbage bags daily. Protest organizers, including business owner Fahima, emphasized that businesses are struggling financially and demand the complete cancellation of the fees rather than just reductions.

The protest began at noon and involved multiple street blockades, with some passing drivers showing support by honking. Police attempted to detain the protest organizer, but business owners resisted. The Tiberias municipality's CEO and a representative from the city coalition attended the demonstration, stating the fees would not be canceled but that the city would seek ways to reduce costs. Meanwhile, enforcement of the fees has been temporarily frozen, and a final decision on the implementation of the Excess Waste Law and fee amounts is expected within two weeks.

Fahima declared that if necessary, the business association will file a petition to annul the fees, underscoring the collective determination to overturn the charges. The protest highlights growing tensions between local businesses and municipal authorities over waste management costs in Tiberias.