The High Court of Justice today ruled that the forced feeding of geese must end by mid-April, and that all 57,000 geese force fed to produce foie gras must be slaughtered. In their ruling, Judges Ayala Procaccia, Edna Arbel and Salim Joubran criticized the authorities for not carrying out a March 2005 High Court of Justice judgement on the matter.
Today’s ruling states that the state failed in its law enforcement duty to fulfill final court rulings, by issuing regulations banning the forced feeding of geese only seven months after the stipulated deadline. Procaccia therefore ordered Attorney General Menachem (Meni) Mazuz, the minister of agriculture, Israel Police, Ministry of Agriculture department of veterinary services and animal health, and the director for the prevention of cruelty to animals to pay NIS 30,000 court costs.
Geese Growers Association secretary Hai Benyamini slammed today’s ruling. He directed his anger and resentment towards the authorities, which hastily and cynically rendered 16 families unemployed by driving them into starvation and bankruptcy.
The High Court of Justice today ruled on two appeals, one by Let the Animals Live and Anonymous for Animal Rights, and a second by 75 farmers and others. The appeals were filed after the High Court of Justice ruled on August 11, 2003 that the forced feeding of geese was illegal because of the suffering it caused the animals.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on February 22, 2006