Israeli lawmaker highlights deadly pollution from Arab-run factory as security rules collide with protecting Israeli lives.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that Knesset member Tzvi Succot entered Area A in Judea and Samaria on Sunday without prior coordination, violating established security procedures.
According to the IDF, entry into Area A is strictly forbidden without advance approval from security authorities. Once it was determined that Succot had exited the permitted area, IDF troops were dispatched to secure him and escort him out safely.
Succot, however, rejected claims of wrongdoing, saying his visit was part of an oversight tour of a factory near Jericho that had caused severe air pollution following a fire two years ago. He said the visit focused on documenting ongoing environmental hazards harming nearby Israeli communities.
The MK stated that he was accompanied by IDF soldiers at all times and immediately complied when informed he had crossed beyond the authorized zone. He accused the factory’s operators of attempting to block his entry and prevent documentation of hazardous waste burning.
“This is an outrageous failure,” Succot said, arguing that an industrial facility in Area A producing massive amounts of electronic waste is poisoning Israeli towns nearby and endangering Israeli lives. He criticized state authorities for neglecting enforcement while Israeli citizens suffer the consequences.
Israeli officials note the incident reflects a broader dilemma: security constraints imposed on Israelis even as environmental and public-health threats originating from Arab-controlled areas continue unchecked.
