As part of a new bill nearly all animals in Israel could be afforded protected species status, instead of just certain animals. If the bill is successful, hunting would only be permissible in rare instances, such as to prevent ecological damage or if there is a threat to human beings.
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, the Israeli Parliament.
At present, Israel has a complex system of hunting licenses. However, fewer and fewer hunting licenses have been renewed each year for the past 10 years, and no new licenses are now permitted. The new bill would cancel the entire licensing process and in essence do away with hunting for sport altogether.
The League welcomes this news, and also views it as yet further evidence of the ineffectiveness of hunt ‘licensing’, as proposed here by pro-hunt groups such as the Countryside Alliance. It is very clear that the only way to regulate the activities of hunters is through an outright ban on hunting.