New legislation was signed into law by Gila Gamliel, the former Environmental Protection minister, making Israel the first country to ban the sale of fur. Tweeting with pride, Gamliel said, “Now the whole world knows we made history today, fur is no longer in fashion.”
Animal rights organization PETA also supported the major move, stating that “This historic victory will protect countless foxes, minks, rabbits and other animals from being violently killed for their skin. For decades, PETA and our international affiliates have exposed horrific cruelty on fur farms, demonstrating that animals spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages. Fur farmers use the cheapest killing methods available, including neck-breaking, suffocation, poisoning and genital electrocution.”
However, a big loophole remains, which makes the new law honorable, but not actionable, given that the import and export of wild animal fur is the responsibility of the director of Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The amendment to the Wildlife Protection Law still allows the director to issue permits if the pelts are to be used for “religion, religious tradition, scientific research, education or teaching.”
The majority of fur sales in Israel are shtreimels, which are hats made of sable or fox, worn by the ultra-orthodox community. Each hat can cost up to $5000 per purchase. While now sellers will need to apply for permits, it remains to be seen if the sales of fur will truly be “banned.”
