For months after it was submitted, the government has yet to vote on the Environmental Protection Ministry’s draft amendment to the wildlife protection legislation to ban trade in animal fur in Israel.
The amendment seeks to prohibit the sale and purchase of fur in Israel, save for religious customs or scientific research, with violators facing a fine of up to NIS 75,000 (approx. $23,000) or a year's imprisonment.
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Animal rights activists protest in Tel Aviv against the use of fur in the fashion industry
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The Animals Now organization, which promotes animal rights legislation in Israel, has expressed concern that the amendment will be dropped despite their efforts to bring it to the Knesset floor.
“We were welcomed the decision by Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel to ban the trade of fur for the fashion industry,” the group said.
“This important move came after years of working to advance the ban while the fur industry did everything it could to keep its business going," it said.
"Among other things, senior executives of the lobby company that represented the fur industry were questioned on suspicion of brokering bribes. We urge Minister Gamliel to act resolutely, complete the process and recognize the will of the Israeli public who do not wish to see items born of cruelty in stores.”
(Ynetnews' Yulia Karra sheds light on the ban for ILTV)
Over the years, there have been several failed attempts in Israel to promote legislation banning the sale of fur, which involves great suffering for the animals.
In 2019, the National Fraud Investigations Unit launched an investigation into senior members of the Gilad Government Relations & Lobbying company, which was representing the International Fur Federation, on suspicion of bribery. The probe came after it emerged that the lobbying company had flown members of Knesset to Denmark in 2015 in an attempt to torpedo a law to restrict fur trade in Israel.
The International Anti-Fur Coalition also called on Israel to enact the draft legislation.
"[We] told the whole world that Israel would finally ban the sale of furs, as Minister Gila Gamliel promised. Today, four months later, we are still waiting for words to turn into action," the organization said Monday.
2 View gallery
Animal rights activists protest in Tel Aviv against the use of fur in the fashion industry
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
Pressure also came from Israel's Let the Animals Live organization, which urged Gamliel to push for the legislation to be passed.
"Honorable minister, please, complete the move!" the group wrote on Facebook. "The Israeli public does not want to see arrogant and ostentatious 'fashion' items made of animal fur in stores - give Israelis a good reason to smile.”
The justice and environmental protection ministries said in response that the legislation was still in the works.
"Following the publication of the amendment for public comments and examination of the comments received, the proposed regulations are currently being discussed by the Environmental Protection Ministry and the Justice Ministry in order to complete the process," the two ministries said.