'Black goat' to thrive again in Israel A breed of goat limited for decades by law in Israel is expected to prosper once again in the Jewish state. The black goat, also called the Syrian goat, has since 1950 been barred from forests and woodlands under a law that says they cause environmental damage. On Wednesday, parliament in a preliminary reading passed a bill to repeal that legislation, on the grounds that grazing would thin out undergrowth that can fuel forest fires.