Gamliel called the oil leak, which has been described as Israel’s worst ecological disaster in decades, an act of “environmental terrorism.” She suggested the spill was orchestrated by Iran.
She added: “Our fight against pollution and harming the environment is a cross-border fight.”
Gamliel didn’t name the Libyan firm that owns the ship or provide any further details on Iran’s alleged role in the spill. Speaking at a press conference, she vowed to file a lawsuit over the leak.
“We will sue for compensation in the name of all the citizens of Israel for damage to health, nature, flora and fauna,” she said.
The minister’s accusation was disputed by senior security officials, however, with Channel 13 news reporting that Israel’s defense establishment “does not share this assessment.” The network said it was “striking” that neither the Mossad intelligence agency nor other defense bodies were involved in formulating Gamliel’s conclusion.
An unnamed senior security official told the Kan public broadcaster that Iran does not appear to be directly involved.
The head of the naval unit in Gamliel’s ministry also appeared to cast some doubt on her claim the leak was intentional.
“Between February 1-2 [the ship] polluted Israel’s economic waters while moving with its [automatic tracking] devices turned off, and when it reached Syria again turned on the devices. Between February 3-14, it unloaded the crude oil it was carrying to other ships in area of Syria,” a ministry statement said.
The ship returned to Iran and is currently anchored there, the ministry said.
