According to MK Leah Ness, "the possible health dangers from genetically modified food require the adoption of the precautionary principle even in a situation of scientific uncertainty."
Avi Blizovsky
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In the absence of a Minister of Science, and in the orientation that expresses concern about the developments in science that for some reason has prevailed in the Knesset's Science Committee for the past year (even during the previous chairman's term, Mali Polischuk-Bloch, and has become prominent since the case of the cloning debate) there is no one to stop those who express concern about the development of science even if there is no Scientific proof of their claim.
MK Dr. Leah Ness placed on the Knesset table yesterday (Tuesday) the bill according to which it is mandatory to label genetically modified products, among other things, also for the purpose of ensuring the existence of the principle of transparency and the right of the public to know the quality of the food they consume.
According to MK Ness: According to the current legal situation in Israel, there is no obligation to label genetically modified food. Therefore, every person in Israel is prevented from choosing whether or not to take the risk of eating genetically modified food. Also, this is the reason why the Ministry of Health does not have information on the quantities or importers of these products.
In fact, MK Ness admits in a statement that her decision is not backed by any scientific proof: "The possible health dangers from genetically modified food, such as resistance to antibiotics, effect on the metabolic processes in the body, allergy and toxicity - require taking the precautionary principle even in a situation of uncertainty scientifically.”
In the meantime, the Knesset approved in first reading the bill, which obliges the authorities to publish information in their possession, about substances emitted into the air from factories within their jurisdiction and dangerous substances in their possession.
17 members of the Knesset supported the bill, including Leah Ness, who brought the proposal to the Knesset table, Inbal Gabrieli, Michael Eitan, Issam Mehul, the chairman of the Interior and Environment Committee, Ralav Majdallah, Hami Doron and Ilan Leibovich.
Member of Knesset Ness said in the debate that the purpose of the proposal is "to create a revolution in everything related to the availability and accessibility of the public to the critical information regarding environmental damages, which have an impact on public health today and in the future." Ness added that the information that can be obtained today with the existing tools is spot-on, and that in order to receive it one must go through many bureaucratic obstacles. Hami Doron said that when it comes to environmental pollution, the importance of individual modesty decreases.
The bill was originally formulated as the "Environmental Information Bill", and as a result of discussions and compromises with the government, which promised to support the bill, it became a clause in the existing Freedom of Information Law. The proposal was initiated by the association "Citizens for the Environment in the Galilee" and was originally formulated by the Clinic for Environmental Justice at Tel Aviv University.
The genome scientist - plants
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