Oil Pollution in the Marine Waters of Israel

Abstract

The Eastern Mediterranean Sea, to which the State of Israel is a part of, is an area susceptible to pollution by and large because of the extra dense transport of oil products as well as oil and gas exploration and production activities. As a party to the main international legal instruments aimed at preparing to and combating oil pollution emergencies, Israel is striving continuously to have in place the structural, procedural, technical, and human means and measures that will enable it to respond to such events effectively. The basic legal framework was derived from the international agreements, and the budgets are allocated from a special fund. To this end the Marine Environment Protection Division of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection is the national competent authority for many of the marine environmental protection subjects, as well as oil pollution preparedness and response. Although a response system to an oil spill must be in place, prevention at source always proves to be the most cost-effective and environmentally sound strategy in the marine environmental management. That is the reason Israel demonstrates rather rigorous Port State Control efforts of the proper regulations and standards, in order to create the appropriate deterrence effect. Last but not least, enforcement measures against polluters are taken on regular basis.