Israel has announced plans to ban the use of animal fur and skin. In announcing the new regulations, the minister for environmental protection Gila Gamliel termed the use of animal fur and skin, particularly in the fashion industry, as “immoral.” If the ban does become law, anyone intending to use such products in the country will have to apply for a permit, which will only be issued under special circumstances. The decision has been widely welcomed by conservationists and animal rights groups around the world.