Religion is no excuse for wearing fur  Ultra-orthodox Jews
opposed to Israel's planned ban on the sale of fur are wrong to
call for tradition to supersede ethics     • Jump to comments ()
Plans to outlaw the sale of fur in Israel would provide the
country a much-needed PR boost, according to pro-ban
campaigners. Given the international opprobrium levelled at the
country over the last year, those proposing the bill believe
that any opportunity to redress the state's image should be
seized with both hands.  However, their motivation is far from
being simply a marketing exercise on behalf of the Israeli
people. Instead, environmental groups both inside and outside
Israel have singled the state out as being a potential
trailblazer when it comes to imposing a nationwide ban on the
sale of fur.  No other country has yet managed to entirely
proscribe the sale of fur within its borders and, given the
relatively small size of the Israeli fur market – worth around
$1m per year – the country is seen as a comparatively