Israel has some amazing beaches of course, but which of those beaches are the cleanest? We’re talking about the ones where you can truly feel the sand filter between your toes…?
Well, you’ll be delighted to know that this year the Ministry of Environmental Protection has publicized the Clean Beach Index for the first time this season. The index (which was first launched in 2005 and is in Hebrew here) is designed to give a clear assessment of the status of all Israel’s beaches, ranking them from the very cleanest to the downright dirtiest (according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, only 60% of the beaches in Israel are considered “clean to very clean”).
Without further ado, let’s get down to business with the cleanest beaches in Israel>>>
Israel’s cleanest beaches: The local authorities and municipalities with the cleanest beaches are:
- Ashdod
- Eilat
- Jisr al-Zarqa
- Beer Tuvia
- Emek Hefer
- Rishon Lezion
- Tel Aviv-Jaffa
- Mate Asher
The following “unauthorised” beaches are also considered clean: Rosh Hanikra, Betzet, Akhziv, Bustan HaGalil, Kiryat Hayim South, Ma’agan Michael, Jisr al-Zarqa, Neurim, Hatzuk, Tel Baruch, Palmachim National Park, Ashdod South, Beer Tuvia, Mifratz Hashemesh, Dag Suf, Hevrat Hachashmal Beach, and the beaches in the open Almog Nature Reserve.
And which beaches get a definite thumbs down as the dirtiest, skankiest beaches out there?
Israel’s dirtiest beaches: The local authority with the dirtiest beach is Hof Hasharon. Add to that the beaches at Galim, Poleg North, and Arsof South; they are currently littered with too much plastic and ciggie butts, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.