Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will now be able to get vegan meals, leather-free boots, and wool-free berets on bases throughout the country. Meat-free options will be available at every meal, and the red-tape required to declare oneself a vegan has dropped significantly. According to Major General and Army Ombudsman Yitzhak Brik, “I believe the right to food is a basic right, and that it is only right that the IDF take the needs of the vegan community into account—as it does those of other communities.” Interest in veganism has grown rapidly in Israel in recent years, where an estimated five percent of the population live a plant-based lifestyle. The country has banned animal testing on cosmetics and is the site of world’s largest vegan festival.

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