The Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approved the temporary order as part of the proposed money laundering prohibition order, which for the first time expands enforcement powers against illegal wildlife trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enforcement authorities, including the Nature and Parks Authority, the police, and the Authority for the Prohibition of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, will now be able to use economic tools against wildlife traders and smugglers that are currently used mainly in the fight against criminal organizations, drug trafficking, and weapons smuggling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within the framework of the order, it will be possible to seize vehicles and drones used for smuggling, confiscate properties where wild animals were kept, freeze bank accounts, monitor financial movements, and impose additional economic sanctions, even in cases where the offense was committed outside of Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Representatives from government ministries, enforcement agencies, environmental organizations, and animal rights organizations participated in the discussion. Under pressure from the organizations, it was agreed during the discussion that the temporary order would be in effect for two years, rather than just one year as initially proposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The discussion took place against the backdrop of a sharp spike in the volume of illegal wildlife trade in Israel, which in recent years has become one of the most profitable markets in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In March 2025, one of the most serious and extensive smuggling cases ever seen in Israel was exposed, in which monkeys and lion cubs were smuggled into Israel through the Egyptian border. At the same time, in recent years there has also been an increase in the smuggling of reptiles, birds and other wild animals, due to the lack of deterrent punishment and borders that remain open to smuggling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monkeys were the wild animals smuggled in the highest numbers in the affair: 66 monkeys were seized in the past year in raids by the Nature and Parks Authority and the police after being illegally kept in private homes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some were used to film videos for social media as part of a growing phenomenon of using wild animals as status symbols and props for online content. They were transferred for treatment, rehabilitation and shelter at the Israeli monkey sanctuary in the Ben Shemen forest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to estimates, at least 20 additional monkeys smuggled into Israel have not yet been located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deputy Chairman of the Constitution Committee, MK Yitzhak Pindros, said in the discussion that "the work is not finished," and he called on the participants in the discussion "to prepare the standing order, because there are many holes that we will have to fill.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Tamar Friedman, founder and CEO of the Israeli Monkey Sanctuary: "Throughout all our years of activity, we have never encountered smuggling on such a large scale as the one exposed in the past year, and with such cruelty as was expressed in the manner in which the smuggled monkeys are kept. The suffering they have endured is clearly evident in their bodies and minds. Baby monkeys are separated from their mothers when they are only a few weeks old, kept in isolation in small cages, and sometimes tied with heavy chains for the purpose of filming videos for social media.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
"Including wildlife trafficking under the Money Laundering Prohibition Law is a necessary first step in eradicating the phenomenon, but without permanent legislation and effective deterrent punishment, the phenomenon will not disappear. A long-term process is needed that will ensure effective enforcement and completion of the work of the headquarters. In addition to harming the smugglers themselves, we must also act against the buyers and against those who use monkeys and wild animals as props for filming videos on social media. Everyone involved in this chain contributes to the expansion of an extremely cruel and profitable market, and therefore deterrent punishment is also required against them.".<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approved the temporary order as part of the proposed money laundering prohibition order, which for the first time expands enforcement powers against illegal wildlife trade. Enforcement authorities, including the Nature and Parks Authority, the police and the Authority for the Prohibition of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, will now be able to use economic tools against wildlife traders and smugglers that are currently used mainly in the fight against organized crime [\u2026]","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":1074522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[1359,8586,33800],"class_list":["post-1074519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-24","tag-1359","tag-8586","tag-33800"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n