| Due to negotiation approaches by environmental concerns regarding issuance of a tender for quarrying the sand dunes at Samar, the director of the Israel Lands Administration (ILA), Yeron Bibi, decided to postpone the date of closing the tender by two weeks in order to examine the conditions of the plan. The examination will be carried out with the Ministries of Infrastructure and of Interior, with attention paid to development of the city of Eilat and with the intent of permitting quarrying of sand from permitted sites so that sand will not be taken from areas not permitted.
The tender was issued in accordance with zoning plan no. א/159/02/12 approved in September, 2007. There was no opposition from ‘green' entities to that plan.
However, contrary to what had been stipulated originally, the present sale (tender) was made without examining alternatives, without rehabilitating the areas already quarried, and without involving the entities affected by the decision in the making of it.
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When potential purchasers were brought to the site last week, there was a demonstration at the Sands of Samar by tens of concerned citizens from Eilat and the Arava, due to this fact.
A petition opposing the renewed quarrying is being circulated via the internet, with nearly 19,000 signatures at the date of this writing. Until a satisfactory decision is arrived at regarding the fate of this unique natural site, the issue is still open and the petition still relevant. Although in Hebrew, if you scroll to the bottom of the page you will find a box with fields requiring your name and your city/settlement (these have red stars) and your email (optional). Pressing on the ‘radio button’ below the fields will submit your signature.
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