Ehud Olmert convened his Cabinet in a Galilean nature reserve to show Israel’s concern for the environment.
The Israeli prime minister and his colleagues eschewed Jerusalem for their weekly meeting Sunday, holding it instead in a capacious cave in Beit Shearim, a nature reserve that also houses the tomb of the Talmudic sage Yehuda Hanassi.
Olmert said the event aimed “to tell all of the country’s citizens that we love the country and its natural resources, and that these must be safeguarded as a matter of routine.”
The Cabinet passed two resolutions earmarking funds for camping sites and bicycle tracks in Israel.
Environmental groups said the move was insufficient and called on the government to tackle more serious issues such as air pollution.
