Gaza Genocide02 August, 20263 min read
Jerusalem District Court Halts Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Crocodile Plan For Ketziot Prison
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Jerusalem District Court temporarily halts transfer of Nile crocodiles to Ketziot Prison The injunction followed a petition by the Let the Animals Live animal welfare group
Crocodiles Plan Frozen
A Jerusalem District Court temporarily halted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s plan to place crocodiles around Ketziot Prison, issuing an interim injunction barring any steps to transfer the reptiles until the court rules further. The court’s order came after an emergency petition filed by the animal rights organization Let the Animals Live, and it said the state has until August 16 to respond. Judge Avraham Rubin wrote that “the claims regarding the expected harm to the crocodiles merit investigation and justify issuing an order prohibiting the transfer, or any action related to locating or preparing crocodiles for transfer.”
The plan had been championed by Ben-Gvir and Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman, and it was tied to a moat system that the state said was already being dug out around Ketziot Prison. In the background of the Gaza war, Ben-Gvir argued the move would bolster security and said the idea was inspired by similar facilities in Florida, while the Israel Nature and Parks Authority opposed it, saying no feasibility study or appropriate infrastructure had been presented for the Negev desert.
Ben-Gvir vs Court
Ben-Gvir sharply criticized the judiciary after the injunction, accusing the courts of blocking measures aimed at strengthening deterrence against terrorist prisoners. He complained, “Once again, in a time of war, the legal system sides with the terrorists, thwarting important steps for Israeli deterrence,” according to the Jerusalem Post. The Times of Israel reported that the court issued the order after Let the Animals Live argued that Silman had ignored professional opinions of legal advisers and the Nature and Parks Authority and that the government had no authority to move forward with the plan.
In response to the court decision, Ben-Gvir’s office confirmed that digging for the moat is underway, saying, “Whoeverthought this was a gimmickwas mistaken.” The dispute also centered on Silman’s earlier legal move, with The Times of Israel saying she reclassified the Nile crocodile from a protected species to a “tended” wild animal to clear the way for their introduction to a moat system.
What’s at Stake
The court fight over the “Crocodile Prison” plan is tied to a budgeted pilot project, with The Times of Israel saying the National Security Ministry has budgeted NIS 21 million ($7 million) for the construction of the moats. Al-Jazeera Net reported that the controversy centers on Silman’s July 15 decision to permit using crocodiles as a deterrent and guard in prisons holding Palestinian prisoners, a step the petition argues strips crocodiles of their status as protected wild animals. Al-Jazeera Net also said the petition claimed the Prison Service had already begun field infrastructure work, including digging a trench around the prison, and that the National Security Ministry allocated a budget of 21 million shekels for the pilot project.
“According to the statement, the National Security Ministry has budgeted NIS 21 million ($7 million) for the construction of the moats.”
The same reporting placed the issue within the wider detention context, stating there are about 9,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, including around 100 female prisoners and more than 350 children, according to Palestinian and Israeli human-rights reports. Let the Animals Live said the court order prevents continuing the direction and warned it would work to permanently cancel the step, while the Tel Aviv University Veterinary Clinic said the order halted the plan and that it would continue to oppose it.