Israel has a really strong animal advocacy movement, has a strong vegan movement, but also a really strong animal welfare reform movement. And I actually think it’s a great example of how these two don’t need to be diametrically opposed. Israel has very high rates of veganism, but also some of the most progressive animal welfare laws.
Do you have a sense for why the animal advocacy movement is so strong in Israel? You mentioned that they have limited amounts of land for farming, but this seems more like an explanation for why the government is supporting alternative proteins than why there is a vegan/​animal welfare movement.
Nah, I don’t really know. I’m always skeptical of claims that one event or activist ignited a huge change. And I’d note that Israel still has some of the highest rates of meat consumption in the world, despite having a vibrant animal welfare and alternative protein movement. But I’ll leave to others with more knowledge of Israel’s movement to speculate more here.
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Do you have a sense for why the animal advocacy movement is so strong in Israel? You mentioned that they have limited amounts of land for farming, but this seems more like an explanation for why the government is supporting alternative proteins than why there is a vegan/​animal welfare movement.
I’ve heard claims that it was driven by this YouTube video, but I’m not sure how accurate those claims are.
Nah, I don’t really know. I’m always skeptical of claims that one event or activist ignited a huge change. And I’d note that Israel still has some of the highest rates of meat consumption in the world, despite having a vibrant animal welfare and alternative protein movement. But I’ll leave to others with more knowledge of Israel’s movement to speculate more here.