The writing was on the ammonia tank

On Monday evening, an Iranian missile struck the oil refineries. Three workers were killed. It was a shocking moment, but also a reminder of what could have ended much worse.

What wasn’t reported in the news is what might have happened if the giant ammonia tank on-site hadn’t been emptied. This is the same tank that environmental organizations, led by the “Zalul” association, its CEO Maya Jacobs, and Benji Kahn, fought against for 20 years. Only after a long public and legal battle did a precedent-setting Supreme Court ruling order the tank to be emptied in September 2017.

A direct missile hit on such a tank could have resulted in a multi-layered disaster: a massive explosion, release of toxic gas into the air, hundreds or even thousands injured from suffocation and respiratory burns, mass evacuation, hospital system collapse, contamination of soil and water sources, and the shutdown of an entire region for years.

Not Just about Polar Bears

It is easy to dismiss environmental organizations — portraying them as only concerned with rock hyraxes and polar bears. But environmental battles are, first and foremost, fights for human lives, public health, economic stability, and civilian security. The ammonia tank case isn’t a doomsday scenario; it is a real disaster that was narrowly avoided.

These battles are ongoing. The Zalul association is currently warning that the EAPC (Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company) agreement could cause massive oil spills. A 2024 study found that environmental damage in the Gulf of Eilat would cost the Israeli economy NIS 11 billion (some $3.3 million) — due to harm to tourism, coral reefs, and desalination facilities. In the Ashkelon area, estimated damages are in the tens of billions from beach pollution and power station shutdowns.

The Economic Risk under Our Noses

This brings up another important point: the link between risk and investments. In the investment world, risks are thoroughly analyzed: volatility, geopolitical risk, sectors requiring high insurance. Environmental damage must be assessed the same way. Ignoring these risks doesn’t just endanger lives; it’s also bad investing. There is no worse investment than one that leads to population displacement, infrastructure shutdown, and long-term economic collapse.

Small Budget, Huge Damage

And what is the government doing in the meantime? At the very moment when reality proves how real these threats are, the Ministry of Environmental Protection is promoting budget cuts to environmental organizations. We are talking about NIS 11 million — a minuscule amount on a governmental scale, but one that enables these organizations to operate, research, warn, and prevent the next disaster.