1.5 million take to nature during Passover, leaving trash in their wake
While the Kinneret's beaches were kept clean, Betzet beach in the north saw piles of trash and two dead sea turtles covered in paint; Nature and Parks Authority: 'Turtles were already dead when they washed ashore.'
Some 1.5 million Israelis visited the country's nature reserves and national parks over the Passover break. Unfortunately, many of them left much trash in their wake, something that happens every year.
While the beaches of the Kinneret were kept clean and quiet, a lot of trash was left on the beach in the Betzet area, south of Rosh Hanikra. Piles of trash were discovered there on Saturday morning, polluting the beach and its surrounding area.
On Friday, two dead sea turtles were found on the beach covered with paint. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority said the turtles had already been dead when they washed ashore, and were subsequently covered in paint on the beach.
"Unfortunately, every year some 300 sea turtles wash ashore after dying from marine debris, fishing nets, hooks, boat engines and more. Most of them wash ashore already dead, and those found alive and are reported on are transferred to the Israel Sea Turtle Rescue Center for treatment," the Authority said.
The Kinneret Towns Association said that during the Passover break, some 170,000 people vacationed on the Association's 15 beaches—a 30 percent increase compared to last year.
The Association said some 100 tons of trash were collected during the holiday, with the beaches kept clean.
The Association also noted a significant decline in the number of incidents of violence and vandalism on the beaches.
The Association operates some 40 percent of the Kinneret's beaches, and in total an estimated half a million people vacationed on the Sea of Galilee.
Tens of thousands of people also visited the western Galilee, enjoying many attractions and activities organized by the philanthropic project "Treasures of the Galilee," which was founded by Raya Strauss.
During the second holiday of Passover, the United Kibbutz Movement marks the Omer harvest. On Friday, the Ein Harod (Ihud) kibbutz held the 97th harvest ceremony, which includes harvesting wheat with scythes and bundling into sheaves.
On Saturday afternoon, the Omer harvest ceremony will be held in HaGoshrim Kibbutz in the upper Galilee.
Some 100,000 people visited the nature reserves and national parks on Saturday, according to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
Throughout the entire Passover break, some 1.5 million people went out to nature across Israel. Among the popular sites overall were the Caesarea National Park, which saw 48,000 visitors; the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve with some 34,000; the Yarkon National Park with some 33,000; the Ashkelon National Park with some 32,000; and the Masada National Park with some 22,000.
