Ministry of Environment Calls for Budgeting Mediterranean Coast Cliffs Protection Plan

Jerusalem, 12 August, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of environmental Protection is urgently calling for the budgeting and implementation of Phase II of the marine defense project on the cliffs of the Mediterranean coast – in light of what it said are the prolonged delays in allocating the budget by the Ministry of Finance.

Phase B includes a major project to build breakwaters in Herzliya, alongside complementary solutions in Ashkelon, Bat Yam, Emek Hefer, Netanya and in the areas of the Nature and Parks Authority. According to the minister, the protections on the cliffs are critical to stopping erosion, preventing collapses and protecting human lives, property and infrastructure – and any further delay could cause irreversible damage.

In a letter sent by Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, it was noted that for more than two years, the ministry has been working with the Finance Ministry to approve budgeting for Phase B.

Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman: “Maritime defenses are the protective wall of Israel’s coasts. We must not wait until a disaster strikes. I call on the Treasury to immediately approve the budget and proceed with phase two without delay – to ensure the safety of residents and preserve the country’s coasts for future generations.”