Activists target exports of live cattle to Israel

Australia’s fifth largest market for live exports is at risk as Animals Australia launches a campaign in Israel aimed at turning public opinion against accepting shipments of Australian cattle and sheep.

Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel recently told a cross-party parliamentary committee, which unanimously condemned the live export trade, that he would find ways to limit the number of shipments accepted from Australia.

He faces a united political front calling for an outright ban, ­although activists say he also has the options of loosening restrictions on the importation of chilled meat and creating incentives for local abattoirs, which would dramatically reduce the demand for Australian shipments.

Two animal rights groups have also petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice to halt the issuing of import licences, with an initial hearing scheduled for February.

Australian officials have privately expressed concern that the political campaign against live ­exports is starting to bite and the Israeli government may consider shutting down the trade if solutions cannot be found to soothe public disquiet. But an industry source said ­importers were also lobbying the Israeli government in a ­behind-the-scenes effort to safeguard the industry politically from the activist campaign.

Read the article by Jacob Atkins in The Australian.