Environmental Quality Authority Returns Two Israeli Trucks Carrying Waste to Their Point of Origin After Seizure in Qalqilya

 

GHLands : The Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority (EQA), in cooperation with the Customs Police in Qalqilya Governorate, seized two trucks bearing Israeli license plates while they were attempting to transport waste into Palestinian territory, as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal waste dumping and protect the environment.

The EQA stated that one truck was carrying construction and demolition waste, while the other was transporting red soil. According to the authority, both loads had been brought from the 1948 territories with the intention of disposing of them inside Palestinian territory, in violation of the Palestinian Environmental Law No. 7 of 1999, its amendments, and the applicable environmental regulations.

The authority added that official seizure reports and technical documentation were prepared before the two trucks were returned to their point of origin in the 1948 territories, in coordination with the Palestinian District Coordination Office and in accordance with the established legal procedures.

The Environmental Quality Authority reaffirmed its commitment to continuing inspection and enforcement campaigns in cooperation with the relevant security agencies to prevent the illegal transfer of Israeli waste into Palestinian territory, stressing that such activities pose a direct threat to the environment, public health, and natural resources.

The authority also renewed its call for the public to report any attempts to smuggle or illegally dispose of waste within Palestinian territory, emphasizing that public cooperation remains essential to protecting the environment and preventing environmental violations.