Eilat Port Rescue Plan Stalls, Sparks Criticism from Finance Committee

The Finance Committee, led by MK Hanoch Mlibetsky, held a follow-up discussion today on the 'Saving Eilat Port' issue, two months after the presentation of the government plan to subsidize car ships and promote an import order. During the discussion, it became clear that despite past declarations, the plan has not been implemented, and no ship has visited the port.

The port's CEO, Gideon Golbar, reported that no professional discussions have been held to implement the plan since November, and that the port received a letter from the Ministry of Finance and Transportation deciding not to extend the license of the port's managing company for an additional 10 years, as allowed by the current contract.

A representative from the Ministry of Transportation noted that the circumstances have significantly changed given the decision not to extend the company's license, and that this should be considered in the overall response to the issue.

The committee chairman, MK Hanoch Mlibetsky, sharply criticized the conduct of the ministries: 'Whether the license is extended or not is irrelevant to the discussion here, we agreed on an immediate plan to assist Eilat Port and nothing has happened in two months. This reminds me of negotiations in India. There is a government commitment given in the committee, and you come and deceive us. The disregard for our time and for a strategic asset of the state is inconceivable.'

In response to the committee chairman's criticism, the Ministry of Economy stated that they had promoted the plan and called on the ministries to advance it, and the Ministry of Transportation noted that they had asked the Treasury to implement the plan but not at the expense of the Ministry of Transportation's projects.

The committee chairman added that despite the agreement that if the plan does not work, a car import order will be promoted through Eilat, the Ministry of Economy has refrained from promoting it. On the other hand, the Ministry of Economy claimed that the initial plan has not yet been issued and therefore the order was not activated when the agreement was to return to the negotiating table if the plan fails. The committee chairman rejected this and stated that the plan failed due to the ministries' inaction on the ground and that in case of failure, it was agreed that the ministry would immediately activate the order.

The Mayor of Eilat, Eli Lankri, stated that 'a main shipping route has been closed for two years and no one is doing anything, stop defining the port as a strategic asset if you are not willing to strengthen it.'

At the end of the discussion, the committee chairman stated that he will hold a follow-up discussion next week, and demanded that the government ministries present one of two alternatives immediately: activating the import order or granting direct financial aid to the port for an 'interim solution' in the next three months.