Israeli Court Freezes Ben-Gvir's Plan to Place Crocodiles Around Prison Holding Palestinians
The injunction follows an animal-rights petition that said the project lacked legal authority and could cause severe suffering to the crocodiles.
- On Sunday, the Jerusalem District Court issued a temporary injunction blocking the transfer or preparation of Nile crocodiles for Ketziot Prison, with Judge Avraham Rubin finding that claims of expected harm to the animals merit investigation.
- Last month, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman reclassified Nile crocodiles as a 'cultivated wild animal' to enable the security project; officials allocated 21 million shekels and dug a 560-foot channel.
- The Israel Nature and Parks Authority found no scientific precedent for using crocodiles to secure a detention facility, while animal nonprofit Let the Animals Live challenged Silman's decision and sought to restore the reptiles' protected status.
- Responding to the ruling, Ben Gvir claimed the legal system sides with terrorists, thwarting important steps for Israeli deterrence, and pledged to fight for the plan; Human Rights Watch researcher Sarah Sanbar said the proposal shows how "normalised cruelty has become."
- The state must submit a response by August 16, and although the 560-foot channel remains under construction, the court injunction prevents any crocodile transfer or preparation until a final ruling is made.
60 Articles
60 Articles
“Crocodile Tears Don’t Move Me:” Despite Court Order, Minister Advances Crocodile Prison Pilot
Despite an interim court order blocking the transfer of crocodiles to Ketziot Prison, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman on Tuesday instructed the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to establish the conditions for housing crocodiles around Israel Prison Service facilities as part of preparations for a pilot program. While the government is still required to respond […]
To the crocodile of the Nile began to be removed the category of protected species. A ditch was then dug around a high security prison in southern Israel, destined to receive the animals of this species, in order to prevent the escape of prisoners. Final decision will be taken after the State responds to the precautionary measure issued.
The Israeli Justice temporarily suspended a government plan to place crocodiles in pits around a prison that houses Palestinian detainees. The proposal, presented by the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, provided for the use of reptiles as part of the security system of the Ketziot prison in the Negev desert in the south of the country. Israel begins construction of a pit for crocodiles around the prison wing where Hamas members ar…
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