The incoming Minister of Environmental Protection, Amir Peretz: "Together we will build an environmental Iron Dome for future generations"

The outgoing minister, Gilad Erdan: "In the past four years, we have significantly reduced the environmental gaps between us and the West. Today, hundreds of thousands of families are already enjoying the fruits of the green revolution, but the road to a clean and healthy environment is still long."


At the exchange ceremony of the minister for environmental protection held today, the incoming minister, Amir Peretz, stated that "together we will build an environmental iron dome for future generations". Minister Peretz explained that "I intend to make just decisions, but first of all I intend to do justice to the environment, not charity or mercy, but real environmental justice." According to Peretz, "All my life I have fought for social justice, but it is not possible to separate social justice from environmental justice."

"I have never remained indifferent or level-headed when injustices occurred before my eyes, and even here I intend to stand by the side of the weak. The beaches are weak to those who want to covet them, the streams are weak to those who harm them, the animals are weak to skin raiders and hunters, and desert areas that may be injured by a terrible bulldozer that sees nothing in front of its eyes, or forests that may be cut down or become an area of ​​garbage piles.

The outgoing minister, Gilad Erdan, wished Minister Peretz success and noted that concern for the environment will be part of his considerations in any system he manages. Minister Erdan reviewed the ministry's achievements during his tenure - from the recycling revolution and the packaging law, through saving beaches from being taken over by hotel buildings, preserving open spaces and establishing a chain of metropolitan parks throughout the country, through preventing the construction of another coal-fired power plant in Ashkelon, increasing the ministry's budget and increasing and streamlining enforcement. "We succeeded in assimilating the importance of the issue and today environmental considerations are an essential part of the decision-making process in the economy and in the government. It is already clear to everyone that Israel will not be able to lag behind the international economy that has already learned to understand that a proper economy is a green economy that guarantees that we will all live and enjoy a better and healthier environment"