Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman said Wednesday she has instructed her ministry to explore pulling the country out of the Paris climate accord and other international environmental bodies, citing political bias against Israel.
Silman announced that she directed her professional staff to assess the implications of withdrawing from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which includes the 2015 Paris Agreement. The United States, under U.S. President Donald Trump, exited the accord in 2020 before rejoining under then-president Joe Biden.
Silman also ordered a review of Israel’s participation in other international environmental organizations, which she accused of promoting incitement and delegitimization of Israel.
“International cooperation is important, but not at the expense of Israel’s security and legitimacy,” Silman said in a statement. “Israel will not continue to legitimize international frameworks that exploit environmental discourse for political purposes and attempt to harm Israel’s global standing.”
The Paris Agreement aims to limit the rise in global average temperatures to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, with an aspirational goal of 1.5 degrees. Achieving those targets would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.
The Environmental Protection Ministry said Silman instructed her staff to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the consequences of leaving the UNFCCC. Officials were also asked to map out additional international organizations active in environmental and climate issues that, according to the ministry, have increasingly served as platforms for incitement, delegitimization and political pressure against Israel—often while ignoring the region’s complex security and humanitarian realities.
“Israel will continue to protect its environment, promote public health and advance cutting-edge climate technologies,” the ministry said. “But it will do so while safeguarding its sovereignty, national interests, and economic and security responsibilities, without legitimizing international bodies that act against it.”
Separately, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Wednesday that the Foreign Ministry is also reviewing Israel’s participation in the Paris Agreement, under reported pressure from the United States.