Analysis

Slammed for foot dragging, withholding funds from environmental NGOs and attacking them as subversives, Silman responds to Times of Israel: ‘Tell me if someone else did as much as me’

Sue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter

Likud politician Idit Silman is vigorously defending her tenure as head of the Environmental Protection Ministry, pointing to hard-won legislative victories while dismissing criticism from the country’s green establishment as political prejudice.

Speaking to The Times of Israel, the former Yamina politician — whose high-profile 2022 defection dealt the fatal blow to the short-lived Bennett-Lapid coalition — insisted the ministry was “on the rocks” before she arrived. Brushing aside complaints about high-level resignations, she also blamed the civil service commission for a prolonged vacancy in the chief scientist’s office.

“Nobody can compete with me on professionalism,” Silman said.…