The government approved an NIS 845 million (about $226 million) budget for the rehabilitation of the Dead Sea
.The area has also been declared a national priority area, which will afford it budgetary priority.
The funds will be divided between the Tourism and the Environmental Protection ministries: The former will be given NIS 725 million ($194.18 million) and the latter NIS 120 million ($32.1 million).
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Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan and Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov agreed to drop their demand for a designated revenue fund, which they wanted to handle the royalties that Dead Sea Works is scheduled to pay the State over the next few years. Those are expected to reach nearly NIS 1 billion ($267.7 million).
- The Dead Sea rehabilitation fund will rebuild and upgrade existing infrastructure and treat various environmental damage caused to the area's northern basin.
The Environmental Protection, Tourism and Industry ministries will form an interministerial steering committee, headed by Tourism Ministry Director-General Noaz Bar Nir.
Erdan welcomed the decision: "The government is righting a wrong that has been perpetuated for years… We are finally starting to treat the Dead Sea as a unique natural resource that has to be preserved, not just utilized."