• Published 02:53 15.03.10
  • Latest update 11:46 15.03.10

Paul McCartney backs Israel animal rights group over fur ban

McCartney is a longtime vegetarian for reasons of conscience and has been active for animal rights for many years.

By Yuval Azoulay and Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel news

Singer and former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has lent his support to Israeli animal rights activists fighting to pass a bill banning all fur trade in Israel. If the bill passes, Israel will be the first country to ban the export, import and sale of any kind of fur. Last week, the bill was reviewed by the Knesset Education Committee in preparation for a second and third reading.

The activists working on behalf of the bill received support Sunday from Sir Paul, who said on his Web site: "I, along with members of my family, have been long-standing opponents of the commercial fur trade. The reason for this is simple - fur is cruel and unnecessary .... To skin an animal alive - as many are - for a product nobody needs is beyond comprehension."

McCartney is a longtime vegetarian for reasons of conscience and has been active for animal rights for many years.

His statement was prompted by a personal appeal from the Israeli organization Let the Animals Live. McCartney said that if the bill is passed, Israel will set an example for the rest of the world: "By banning such a cruel industry Israel would provide a shining example in care and compassion that others would be sure to follow," wrote McCartney.

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  • 12. 0 0
    Skinning alive?
    • Peter
    • 18.03.10
    • 11:08

    Spot on Steve G. I would have thought McC has more intelligence, but perhaps not. Why do people continue to act like sheep and endlessly repeat the propaganda put out by extreme view animal rights organisations without stopping to think about things. The fur trade does NOT skin animals alive, it would make no sense at all to do so. There is plenty of legitimate information out there on how fur is produced, why do these idiots insist on believing the Animal Rights propaganda instead of the factual evidence. Just like every other industry, there are laws against malpractice. If people break the law, they are punished, but you don?t ban a whole industry just because of the bad practice of a tiny minority. No one minds people who genuinely don?t want to eat meat or wear fur, That is their choice. But they should be honest about their reasons, and not just repeat the lies they hear without researching them. And they should not insist that every body else has to think like them.

  • 11. 0 0
    Paul McCartney / Animal rights
    • Steve G
    • 18.03.10
    • 04:38

    Can I please clarify the fur industry does NOT skin animals alive. Neither does the meat industry. The statement is based upon 1 video which has been suggested was a put-upon job by animal rights extremists to perpetuate this poor argument. Before publishing heresay, please research the correct practices employed. Don't just use a media celebrity fulfilling his own agenda.

  • 10. 0 0
    Fur Ban
    • Joe kelsall
    • 16.03.10
    • 15:39

    Unlike McCartney, I actually enjoy eating dead animals. I also believe that it would be a waste to dispose of their skins without making use of them. I like leather shoes. I enjoy fine wool. I have no problem with Asian countries who eat dogs. What is the difference? Homo Sapiens is a carnivore, if we were meant to eat vegetation only, we would have flat teeth and a different digestive system. Sadly, Macca's alternative diet did nothing for the health of his late wife.

  • 9. 0 0
    Paul McCartney i Polska
    • Piotr Chróściel
    • 16.03.10
    • 11:41

    Paul zagrał już swoj słynny koncert w Izraelu. Odwiedził też umęczonych Palestyńczyków i miejsce narodzenia Jezusa - Betlejem. Popiera ruch "OneVoice Movement". Wszystko to cieszy i przybliża - mamy nadzieję - Sir Paula do Pokojowej Nagrody Nobla. Niestety jako polski ekspert w zakresie muzyki McCartneya nadal ubolewam, że Polska zbyt mało istnieje w świadomości tego wielkiego artysty. My Polacy też mamy fantastycznych fanów Paula i The Beatles, nie tylko Izrael! Paul przyjedż do Warszawy!

  • 8. 0 0
    Not ridiculous Anita
    • Annie
    • 15.03.10
    • 22:23

    Anita - It will not be ridiculous to the tens of thousands of animals whose lives will be spared. And it will not be ridiculous to the people in the world who try to make the world a little less evil, one small step at a time.

  • 7. 0 0
    animal rights group
    • Anita
    • 15.03.10
    • 18:35

    What difference does it make to an animal, whether we eat their meat or wear their fur? How one-eyed to be against wearing fur, when at the same time one is wearing leather shoes, bags, belts, jackets, etc., etc. Weren't those animals also once living creatures? It's the height of hypocrisy to ban the ones for furs and continue eating the corpses and wearing the furs and hides of other animals at the same time. How ridiculous!!!!

  • 6. 0 0
    I am the walrus fur
    • Dog eat dog
    • 15.03.10
    • 15:49

    Did you hear about the new North Korean cookbook? 101 ways to "wok" your dog.

  • 5. 0 0
    I love animals... they taste so good.
    • Erastus CoupeDeVille
    • 15.03.10
    • 13:12

  • 4. 0 0
    God help you all
    • jake 1948
    • 15.03.10
    • 12:22

    if McCartney ever hears about the Palestinians.

  • 3. 0 0
    Ban the cruelty!
    • msh
    • 15.03.10
    • 10:07

    All industries that result in animal killing for purposes other than eating them are utterly immoral and cruel and should be banned. The same about commercial hunting and hunting sports - ban them all for good!

  • 2. 0 0
    If we all wanted to let the animals live they wont live
    • zionist forever
    • 15.03.10
    • 08:40

    Does Paul Mcartney think that anybody will invest in breeding animals if there is no fur trade? We won't have lots of little animals running round free and happy there will be no animals full stop because they will never be born unless Paul wants to spend his fortune keeping the breeders going just so we can have happy animals. Government should supervise the conditions the animals are kept in whist they are alive but when the time comes to kill them they should let the free market decide. If there is a market for fur then these companies will continue to operate but if people don't want it then they won't but let the people decide don't let Paul Mcartney, PETA and the animal rightists dictate what we can or cannot do.

  • 1. 0 0
    Yet the charideem continue to wear fur hats
    • SJ
    • 15.03.10
    • 08:08

    The only loophole is the charideem who insist on wearing a dead animal on their heads in the middle of July , guess that explains why their brains are so cooked.