In Israel Hunting is Out, Animal Protection Is In

If you’re an Israeli hunter, it looks like you’re going to have to re-evaluate either your recreational interests or your country of residence…

From this story in the Jerusalem Post:
_While fewer and fewer hunting licenses have been renewed each year for the past 10 years and no new licenses are granted at all, the sport could disappear entirely if a bill by the Environmental Protection Ministry passes into law. On Sunday, the bill was approved by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, giving it government backing and paving the way for swift passage through the Knesset. According to the bill, which modifies the Wildlife Preservation Law, instead of some animals in Israel being accorded protected species status, nearly all animals would receive that status. Only in a few instances would hunting be permissible – to prevent ecological damage or a threat to people.
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_Additionally, spreading poison on the ground or selling animal furs would be prohibited. The fines and jail time for illegal hunting would also increase under the new bill. There are about 2,000 hunters with permits in Israel and the types of animals that are permissible to hunt have been narrowing each year. At one point, there were 6,000 licensed hunters but the area could only sustain about 2,000 hunters. Even those 2,000 have been whittled down by the Nature and Parks Authority through nonrenewal of licenses.

These days, with the pace of urban development and the encroachment on open spaces, conservation agencies see little need for hunting. The new bill would cancel the entire licensing process and in essence do away with hunting for sport altogether. The original law was passed in the 1950s and doesn’t provide sufficient protection to wild animals, the ministry said. Whereas hunting was considered a normal activity in the 20th century, in the 21st century preservation of species and habitats has taken precedence_