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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 31 January 2023
In Israel, disposable plastics trigger culture war, test PM

By ILAN BEN ZION of single-use plastics. The
Associated Press Environmental Protection
JERUSALEM (AP) — On Idit Ministry said in a 2021 re-
Silman’s first day as Israel’s port that Israeli consump-
new environmental protec- tion of single-use plastics
tion minister, she handed had more than doubled
out soft drinks in disposable between 2009 and 2019. It
plastic cups to hospital pa- said the per capita aver-
tients. age hit 7.5 kilograms (16
The gesture held deep pounds) per year five times
symbolic meaning in Is- the average in Europe.
rael, where soft drinks and Single-use plastics made
single-use cups, plates up an estimated 90% of
and cutlery have become trash on Israel’s coastline,
weapons in a culture war and 19% of the garbage
between the country’s on public lands, constitut-
secular Jewish majority and ing a major environmental
the smaller but politically threat, it said.
powerful religious minority. Nonetheless, Netanyahu’s
For much of the public, a ultra-Orthodox allies, or
tax imposed last year on Haredim, are celebrating
plastic goods seemed like the plastic tax’s expected
a straightforward way to repeal. Disposable plastic-
cut down on the use of ware has become a key
items that are major sourc- A GreenNet recycling plant employee cleans the ground next to piles of disposable plastic ready element of the Haredi life-
for export, in Atarot industrial zone, north of Jerusalem, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023.
es of pollution. But many Associated Press style in Israel in recent de-
ultra-Orthodox Jews saw cades, said Yisrael Cohen,
the extra cost as an assault proval. means of fighting a plague on plastic bottles imposed an ultra-Orthodox political
on a way of life that relies “We promised and we de- of plastic pollution. The tax a year ago. analyst.
on the convenience of dis- livered,” said Finance Minis- levied 11 shekels per kilo- The United Nations En- Families with an average of
posable goods to ease the ter Bezalel Smotrich, leader gram ($1.5 per pound) on vironment Program has six children per household
challenges of managing of the Religious Zionism single-use plastic goods, ef- called plastic waste “one use disposable plasticware
their large families. Party. “The fight against the fectively doubling the mar- of the biggest environmen- for weekday meals and
Prime Minister Benjamin cost of living is a fight we all ket price. tal scourges of our time,” large Sabbath gatherings
Netanyahu’s government, are waging.” Repealing those taxes and says the equivalent alike as a labor-saving solu-
the most right-wing in Is- In 2021, when Netanyahu were key demands of Ne- of a garbage truck-full is tion to washing the dishes.
rael’s history, relies heavily and his religious allies were tanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox dumped into the ocean Single-use plasticware is de
on ultra-Orthodox parties in the opposition, then- allies, who made them a each minute. rigueur in Jewish seminaries
and has moved quickly to Prime Minister Naftali Ben- rallying cry ahead of No- Plastics can take centu- where ultra-Orthodox men
remove the tax on plastics. nett’s government autho- vember’s parliamentary ries to degrade, cause ex- study and eat their meals.
On Sunday, his Cabinet rized a tax on highly sugary election. Another coalition tensive damage to eco- “It’s an entire industry, an
voted to repeal the tax, drinks as a health measure deal between Netanyahu systems and can contain institution,” he said. “Sin-
sending the matter to the to curb rising obesity rates and his ultra-Orthodox al- compounds toxic to organ- gle-use plastic is a great
full parliament for what is and diabetes, and the tax lies would effectively elimi- isms. solution for the Haredi
expected to be final ap- on single-use plastics as a nate a refundable deposit Israel is a major consumer community.”q

China accuses Washington of abusing export controls

BEIJING (AP) — China’s the most powerful proces- that Japan and the Neth-
government on Monday sor chips and technology erlands, important suppli-
criticized U.S. controls on that would help its fledgling ers of technology and raw
technology exports as a industry develop the ability materials to make chips,
trade violation, after Ja- to make them. agreed to join in U.S. con-
pan and the Netherlands Washington says they can trols.
agreed to join Washington be used to make weapons Mao gave no indication
in limiting Beijing’s access and to facilitate the ruling how Beijing might respond
to materials to make ad- Communist Party’s surveil- to tighter export controls.
vanced processor chips lance and human rights The Communist Party has
they say can be used in abuses. invested billions of dollars
weapons. “This seriously violates mar- to develop its own chip in-
The Foreign Ministry didn’t ket principles and interna- dustry, but its vendors still
mention the latest de- tional trade order,” said need foreign manufactur-
velopment but accused a ministry spokeswoman, ing equipment, raw materi-
Washington of abusing ex- Mao Ning. als and other technology.
port controls and organiz- She said it “undermines the Industry experts say Chi-
ing other governments to stability of global industrial nese producers are im-
“maintain its hegemony” and supply chains.” proving but cannot make Exterior view of the head office of ASML, a leading maker
and contain China. A person familiar with the chips required for the most of semiconductor production equipment, in Veldhoven,
The United States is trying to agreement told The As- advanced smartphones Netherlands, Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.
block China from acquiring sociated Press on Sunday and other products.q Associated Press