Israel to ban fur trade with a few exceptions

Israel will ban fur trade, with a few exceptions, Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Sunday.

MoEP Minister Gila Gamliel said that "the fur industry kills hundreds of millions of animals worldwide and involves indescribable cruelty and suffering."

She stressed that exploiting the skin and fur of wild animals for the fashion industry is "immoral." The new law will stop the fur trade in Israel and do kindness to the animals.

The law will permit the fur trade only for scientific research, teaching, and religious purposes, the minister added.

The maximum penalty for violating the new law will be a fine of 75,000 new shekels (US$21,865) or one-year imprisonment, as Israel's Nature and Parks Authority will be responsible for the enforcement.