Haifa mayor demands parties commit to shutting down city's petrochemical industry by 2029

Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav sent a letter on Thursday to the leaders of all political parties running in the upcoming elections, demanding that they include a binding commitment in their coalition agreements to end petrochemical operations in Haifa Bay by 2029.

"The residents of Haifa and the bay area deserve to know that the national decision that was made will not remain on paper," Yahav stressed in his letter.

Yahav called on all parties to turn the removal of the petrochemical industry from a political promise into a binding government commitment, with a clear deadline, an allocated budget and a timetable for implementation.

Security threats, health risks and demands for government action

During the war, the Bazan refinery complex was struck by missiles several times, killing three employees and forcing refinery facilities to shut down, highlighting the significant security threat posed by the facility.

Hundreds of thousands of residents of the Haifa metropolitan area continue to face exposure to air pollution and associated health risks.

Despite a government decision to advance the removal of the petrochemical industry from Haifa Bay, no binding government deadline has yet been set for closing the refineries.

Yahav called for 2029 to be established as a binding deadline, alongside the allocation of budgets, the development of alternative infrastructure and the establishment of clear implementation schedules.

The mayor also demanded regular progress reports to the public and the Knesset, as well as safeguards against delays without a reasoned government decision.