Unless the Israeli government takes action, the Dead Sea will continue to dwindle, eventually ending up as a big salty puddle. In this first episode of The Times of Israel’s new, original ‘Into the Land’ docuseries, we explore why the Dead Sea has shrunk by half since 1976, why nothing is being done about it, what might be done to protect it, and what all this has to do with a manufacturing conglomerate that is reluctant to pay taxes.

A Times of Israel Original Video
Created by: Eiv Kristal & Natan Odenheimer
Research and Script: Natan Odenheimer
Cinematography: Ido Cohen
Edit & Grading: Eiv Kristal
Narration: Eiv Kristal
Drone footage: Ofir Hayat
Additional photography: Shira Abulafia
Special thanks to Yad Ben Zvi’s Archive for permission to use photos from the Shoshana and Asher Halevi Photo Archive, photographed by Gideon Shiftan, Uri Shraga Virtzburg and Sultan Kulger, and from the Israeli Dead Sea Potash Company Album.