In Israel, disposable plastics trigger culture war, test PM

By ILAN BEN ZION
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s new government is moving quickly to repeal a tax on single-use plastic goods like cups, plates and cutlery. These items have become the latest weapons in a culture war between the country’s secular majority and the smaller but politically powerful religious minority. The former government passed a tax on plastic goods in 2021 in what it said was a move to protect the environment. But ultra-Orthodox Jews, who have large families and use paper goods for convenience, accused the government of targeting them. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, which relies heavily on ultra-Orthodox support, took a key step on Sunday toward repealing the tax. Green activists fear this could lead to other steps harmful to the environment.