Eilat Port will be forced to shut its gates starting Sunday after its bank accounts were seized, Globes reported Wednesday afternoon.
According to the report, the Eilat Municipality was compelled by law to seize the port’s accounts due to unpaid municipal taxes, estimated at NIS 600,000 to 700,000 per month. The port has been inactive since the outbreak of the war and due to threats from the Houthis against ships in the Red Sea.
The closure of the port is expected to impact the IDF as well, as it has supported the Navy since the beginning of the war.
In a letter, the National Emergency Authority wrote: “Following the shutdown of Eilat Port from regular operations and the financial crisis it has entered due to the ongoing conflict, the Eilat Municipality informed the port’s management of the seizure of all its bank accounts due to debts owed to the municipality. As a result, a notice was received from the Shipping and Ports Authority indicating that Eilat Port is expected to shut down and cease all activity starting this coming Sunday.”
In an effort to prevent the closure, the Ministry of Transportation will convene an emergency meeting with representatives from government ministries, the Eilat Municipality, and the port’s management.