The Racecourse Is Coming to the High Court of Justice

By Adi Hagin

nrg (Online Edition of Ma'ariv), 11 April 2007

Translated from Hebrew

A three-judge panel will discuss the petition filed by Hakol Chai against the government's plan to establish a racecourse for horseracing for gambling purposes. The charity claims that the racing industry entails severe abuse of horses

Demonstration against racing      Photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills

A panel of three Justices, of the High Court of Justice will deliberate today (Wednesday) on the petition filed by Hakol Chai against the government's plan to establish racecourses in Israel for a horseracing industry for the purpose of gambling.

Hakol Chai petitioned against the government's plan, dated August 2004, to establish racecourses in Israel. charity’s petition is based on expert opinions and professional research, according to which the racing industry entails severe abuse of horses, and introducing the industry to Israel is expected to cause them substantial suffering.

The organization petitioned the High Court of Justice to issue an order nisi that instructs the State to appear before it and explain the government's resolution pertaining the "establishment of a racecourse for horseracing for gambling purposes." Hakol Chai also requested that an interim order be issued "that addresses the Respondents and instructs them to refrain from advancing the said resolution in any manner whatsoever, including by approving detailed construction plans and/or by granting permits for the construction of horserace facilities, until this petition is decided on in a final ruling."

The organization's data show that only one third of the horses who are born to the racing industry succeed in actually reaching the races themselves. Orthopedic diseases, broken bones, and respiratory problems are only few of the health problems affecting a large percentage of the horses. These cause the horses to collapse and many of them to be sent to slaughter, for the meat industry.

The public protest against the races provoked reactions during the Pesach holiday, when dozens of Hakol Chai activists demonstrated in front of the racecourse complex in Gilboa, where horseraces were being conducted. The demonstrators protested against the races and the plan to institutionalize the industry for gambling purposes in Israel, and provided information on the subject to those attending the event. Dressed-up as horses, equipped with signs and with a mobile "crime scene," the demonstrators illustrated to the public that racing is not an "entertainment" event but rather a bloody industry.

According to Hakol Chai, not many attended the event. Those who did were provided substantial professional information by activists. Following the dialogue initiated between the visitors and the demonstrators, an interesting phenomenon ensued: there was a considerable number of children among those attending the event, and once they heard what the demonstrators had to say about the suffering caused to horses within the racing industry, they refused to attend the event. In light of the children's firm refusal to attend the event, several families left.

Premature and unnecessary deliberation

Those who oppose the horseracing industry are gaining wide public support in Israel. Knesset Members of every color of the political rainbow have already expressed their adamant objection to instituting the racing industry in Israel. All members of the Meretz Knesset faction, headed by MK Zehava Galon, signed Hakol Chai's petition, which calls for opposition to horseraces. These MKs joined a long list of people who object to the industry, such as Chairman of the Knesset Education Committee MK Michael Malkior, MK Zvulun Orlev, and many others.

Six months ago the fight for animals received another reinforcement. The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar, published a rabbinical court ruling (Psak Halacha), according to which horseraces should not be assisted, attended, or watched, for example -- because of the awareness of the suffering of animals.

The public activity against the horseracing industry for gambling purposes is being conducted also on the backdrop of an important precedent, set about a week ago in a U.S. court, according to which the slaughtering of horses for meat in the U.S. constitutes a violation of American law. The charity claims that while western countries are tightening prohibitions on the industrial abuse of animals, Israel intends to adopt another evil, in the image of the horseracing industry.

In response to the petition, the State claimed that it will conduct neither horseraces nor gambling on them in accordance with the government resolution, until the matter is regulated in legislation, which will refer also to the wellbeing and welfare of the horses participating in the races.

"Should the Petitioner deem fit, following regulation of the subject matter in legislation, it may petition to the Honorable Court regarding nullity of the law. However, while the legislation process has yet to be completed and the arrangements set in its plan are unknown, deliberation of the matter is premature and redundant," the response said.