Should Israel ban fur trade?

Whisper it, Israel needs to show the world it can lead the way on humanitarian issues, that it's a good and compassionate, democratic country that we know it is.
What a missed oppertunity to do some good. The fur trade is vile and inhumane, and crucially unnecessary. And now just because some Canadian had a quiet word with some Knesset members animals lose out, yet again. It's disgusting. The MK's need more backbone. We Jews are enjoined to be kind to animals. Judaism prides itself on its compassion towards them. Continuing to tolerate the fur trade belies that, degrades our fellow sensate creatures, and demeans us all. Remember, the previous owner of that fur garment - the rightful owner - was killed wearing it. If the pelt originates in China, chances are that it was obtained from animals who died in agony while being boiled alive. Repeat - boiled alive. Whether animals are farmed for their fur or are entrapped (with all the suffering that entrapment entails) is immaterial. The fur trade is barbaric and outmoded. Tolerating it is unconscionable. Israel should ban it now.

The fur trade is indeed unbelievably vile, and I hate to be a bit cynical, but given that Israel hasn't shown much signs of being a good compassionate, democratic country (must I state the obvious, forcible takeover of Palestinian terroritory, denial of the rights of Palestinians since well before the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, continued denial of Palestinian human rights in West Bank and Gaza, aggressive colonisation of East Jerusalem and West Bank sites condemned by the international community since 1967) - what chance have animals got. Come on now, really! country  
 
Do the Israelis have any tradition of respecting anyone's rights except their own? Why would we expect them to start now? You may as well ask the Russians or the Chinese the same thing! Animal Rights tend to advance in only two types of countries, whether or not they are formally democratic: firstly, countries that think that non-violence to all beings is an important and even crucial value and mark of civilisation. Secondly, countries that have a recent history of resolving their differences with their neighbours peacefully, thereby giving the idea of rights for people embedded in their culture to be extended to animals. thing!  
 
In Israel, we should not expect too much, I fear! For that matter, not many countries have the hallmark of these characteristics in their cultures! Of course we should not give up, but we should expect progress to be slow in most places.