An Israeli court has temporarily frozen a plan by so-called National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to place crocodiles around a prison in the Negev desert housing Palestinian detainees from the Gaza Strip, with the legal challenge focusing on concerns over “risks to the animals,” Israeli media reported on Monday.
Israeli occupation authorities had begun digging trenches around a section of the prison holding Gaza detainees as part of a proposal backed by Ben-Gvir to deploy crocodiles in the area as a purported security and deterrence measure.
According to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, the Jerusalem District Court issued a temporary injunction on Sunday evening after the animal rights organization Let the Animals Live petitioned against the plan, which was supported by Ben-Gvir’s ministry and the Israeli Prison Service.
Israeli court steps in, not to protect Palestinians, but the crocodiles
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▪️According to KAN, the Jerusalem District Court has temporarily frozen National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's plan to place crocodiles in trenches surrounding Ketziot Prison in the Negev (Al-Naqab),… pic.twitter.com/eZr0ZxDzKY
Judge Avraham Rubin barred authorities from taking further steps based on Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman’s decision to classify crocodiles as “tended wild animals” — a designation that would have allowed their transfer and placement at the prison.
The ruling came after the organization filed an administrative petition against Silman, Ben-Gvir, and the Israeli Prison Service. The temporary order will remain in place until Israeli authorities submit their response to the court, expected by mid-August.
The dispute centers on Silman’s July 15 decision, which sought to enable the use of crocodiles as “a deterrent and security measure at prisons.” The petition argued that the move altered the legal status of crocodiles and bypassed existing protections and licensing requirements for wild animals.
KAN reported that Let the Animals Live said prison authorities had already begun infrastructure preparations, including digging a canal around the facility, while Ben-Gvir’s ministry allocated 21 million shekels (around $6.9 million) for the pilot project.
The organization argued that the decision lacked sufficient legal basis and disregarded professional and legal warnings over potential harm to the animals, as well as broader environmental and public safety concerns.
Source: Al-Manar English Website