Home » Bulletin 2003
Israeli primate supplier continues to operate
Israel's only laboratory primate breeder will be able continue operating, despite a letter from the outgoing Israeli Environment Minister that appeared to put its future at risk. In early February, Tzahi Hanegbi, the Minister of Environment, wrote a letter to the Nature and Parks Authority, which is responsible for the administration of CITES in Israel, and instructed them to issue no more import or export permits to the BFC primate facility at Mazor. However, the Authority, which is an autonomous body, rejected this and responded to the Minister pointing out that his letter was based on incorrect information about primate breeding and the BFC facility.
The Minister's letter came as a complete surprise to the manager of the BFC facility, Dr Moshe Bushmitz. "At no time in the past has Mr Hanegbi's ministry wanted to restrict our operation. He even visited the BFC farm and granted us permission to enlarge the breeding facility. He said that he was impressed by the place."
One week after the letter was sent, Mr Hanegbi gave up his post as Minister of the Environment. He is currently awaiting a Supreme Court decision to determine whether he can hold another ministerial post. His replacement as Environment Minister, Professor Yehudit Naot, undertook to examine the issue in detail. She held a series of meetings with representatives of the Israeli scientific community, animal rights organisations, the Nature and Parks Authority and the BFC primate breeding facility. In September 2003 she announced her decision to approve the granting of import and export licences to BFC.
In the announcement, the new minister stated, "My examination concluded that the farm acts with accordance to all necessary authorizations by law, fulfils all the essential requirements by its supervising authorities, and that the monkeys are held and bred in good and suitable breeding conditions." The only change introduced by Professor Naot was to instruct the Nature and Parks Authority to provide her with regular reports on the BFC facility in future.
"We are very pleased by the Minister's comments." said Dr Bushmitz, "Despite many claims by the animal rights groups that we would be shut down, at no time has there been any restriction placed on our import or export of primates. As far as we are concerned it has been business as usual."