Israeli politician Nissim Zeev has introduced the so-dubbed “Spencer Tunick bill,” mandating a one-year prison term for anyone who “strips naked in public for commercial or artistic purposes.” Last September, when Tunick floated a massive hoard of nude people in the Dead Sea, Zeev condemned it as “an act of prostitution in the guise of art.”

Zeev lead an unsuccessful protest against said “prostitution” and the show went on. “Israel is not a theocracy, it is a democracy and the only place in the Middle East that I could create this art,” quoth Tunick for a soundbite. “Thanks to the participants efforts the world has a new image of Israel as an open and vibrant democracy.” Blah blah blah.

Meanwhile, Zeev calls Tunick’s work a violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, as it “constitutes an insult to religious precepts regarding modesty and a serious transgression of forbidden sexual relations, and infringes on religious sentiments of religious citizens. This is a violation of their rights and a fundamental restriction must be placed on it.” Oof.

Well, even if this bill passes, there’re still the nudie beaches. Totally legal.

Just, uh, don’t do anything arty.

(Image: Wonderful Israel)