The start of 2013 has brought a positive development in animal welfare in Israel – the sale and import of cosmetics and cleaning materials tested on animals is now illegal. The new law, which was passed by the Knesset in 2010, came into force on midnight on Monday night. In an explanation about the ban, the law states that “the animal testing conducted in the course of cosmetics development entails causing animals great suffering and is done without painkillers.” Also stated is the staggering fact that between 2,000 and 3,000 animals are used in the process of developing every cosmetic or cleaning product that involves animal testing. “This law is a genuine revolution in the field of animal rights in Israel,” said MK Eitan Cabel, who acts as head of the Knesset’s Animal Rights Lobby. “We’ve come a long way in the last Knesset term and this law in the pinnacle of our efforts.” Animal-tested products that are already in Israeli shops will not be removed but importers will be required to get permits from the Health Ministry for every new cosmetic or cleaning product they bring into the country. There are some exceptions for medicinal products, which are not classed as drugs, and these exceptions are similar to those within the guidelines set by the European Union, which enacted a similar ban in 2004. Cabel said that he hopes the law will “create a change in perception that will end animal testing altogether”.