Tel Aviv's Sheraton beach
Photo: Saliman Abu Gosh
Israel plans manmade island off Tel Aviv shore
Tel Aviv municipality, transportation ministry promote new international airport to be built on artificial island off city’s shoreline
A manmade island will be constructed off the shores of Tel Aviv, according to an agreement between Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz.
The proposed island will be built between 1.5-2.5 kilometers (0.93-1.55 miles) off the Tel Aviv shoreline, and will constitute approximately 250 acres.
Environmental organizations completely oppose the idea, claiming that the island would create severe environmental repercussions that cannot be calculated in advance.
“Building artificial islands off of Israel’s shores constitutes a serious environmental risk and uncertainty,” said Yael Dori, a coordinator for the Israel Union for Environmental Defense.
Nir Papai, the coordinator for the department of Sea and Shore Preservation at the Society for the Protection of Nature, pointed out that there has never been an attempt to build manmade islands in open seas, only in gulfs, making it even more difficult to estimate potential dangers of executing the plans.
New airport
The Tel Aviv municipality and the Transportation Ministry want to use the manmade land for a new international airport that would replace Tel Aviv’s Sde Dov airfield.
But the committee which examined the plans for the island recommended that it be used for a power station. It prepared a list of 13 possible uses for the island, with an airport only ranking ninth place.
In response, the Tel Aviv municipality said, “In light of the density in Tel Aviv vicinity, there will eventually be no choice but to transfer Sde Dov to the sea.”
