October 26, 2009 – New York – AJC praised the Israeli Cabinet for dedicating its weekly meeting to the ongoing environmental challenge, highlighting the centrality of energy independence. Opening the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to “initiate a national project to reduce and cancel global dependence on petroleum.”

“The Prime Minister and his cabinet are to be applauded for highlighting the greatest challenge to the security and health of our planet -- our addiction to petroleum,” said AJC Executive Director David Harris. “The Prime Minister’s pledge to focus Israel’s finest minds on the grave problems posed by current energy consumption patterns – from water shortages to pollution to the funding of brutal regimes which finance terrorism – is enormously encouraging.”

At the cabinet meeting, Environment Minister Gilad Erdan elaborated on the government’s green priorities, among them reducing air pollution, increasing recycling capacity and boosting environmental education. “All these goals are enthusiastically shared by AJC,” said Harris. “We’ve advocated for energy independence for more than three decades, and stand ready to support and assist Israel with these vital initiatives.”