An Environmental Protection Ministry official stated that the cleanup would likely take years, and that the spill was one of the gravest natural disasters in the country's history.

[6] The appointment by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office came a week after the massive crude oil spill in Israel's Arava region.

Akunis instructed that the reserve remain closed as long as high values of pollutants were still registered in air quality tests.

According to Akunis, program would serve to treat the soils contaminated by the spill, as well as help restore the wildlife populations damaged over the course of the event.

As part of the plan, a special team would be appointed to evaluate the environmental impact of various Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company activities on both dry land and beaches.