Israeli Health Ministry Warns of Contaminated River Waters and Unsafe Weight‑Loss Product

The Israeli Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, issued an urgent advisory after water sampling on 3 August 2026 revealed bacterial levels far above the safe limit of 400 colony‑forming units per 100 ml in numerous northern rivers and pools. Sites with the highest counts include the Jordan River (up to 3,400 CFU), the Khazbani stream, the Gilbon pool, and several others in the Upper Galilee, Golan and Western Galilee. The public is instructed to avoid swimming, wading or other contact with the listed water bodies until follow‑up tests confirm normal quality. No specific source of contamination has been identified yet, and routine monitoring will continue.

In a separate notice, the Ministry of Health warned that the weight‑loss supplement marketed as “Magic Honey” (also sold as “Honey for Slimming”) contains the prohibited drug sibutramine. Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of this active ingredient, which is banned in Israel and many other countries due to serious health risks such as high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, anxiety, insomnia, heart attacks, strokes, psychiatric disorders and even death. The product is not approved for sale, and consumers are urged not to purchase it, especially from unregulated online sources, and to report any sightings to the health hotline *5400.