OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: An Israeli court has temporarily blocked National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s proposal to place crocodiles around Ketziot Prison in southern Israel’s Negev Desert, where Palestinian detainees from the Gaza Strip are being held.
The Jerusalem District Court issued a temporary injunction after the animal rights organisation Let the Animals Live challenged the plan, which is supported by the Israeli National Security Ministry and the Israel Prison Service, according to Israeli media reports on Monday.
Israeli authorities had begun digging trenches around a section of Ketziot Prison that houses Palestinians detained from Gaza over alleged involvement in the October 7, 2023 attacks. Under Ben-Gvir’s proposal, crocodiles would be placed in the trenches as a security measure intended to deter escapes.
An Israeli court has temporarily blocked National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s plan to surround Ketziot Prison with crocodiles.
The decision came after an animal rights group challenged the proposal.
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Judge Avraham Rubin ordered authorities to halt all actions related to Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman’s decision to classify crocodiles as “tended wild animals.” The legal classification would have allowed the reptiles to be transferred to and kept inside the prison complex.
Animal rights groups challenge the plan
The injunction was granted just hours after Let the Animals Live filed an administrative petition against Silman, Ben-Gvir and the Israel Prison Service.
The court order will remain in effect until the Israeli government submits its official response, which is expected by mid-August.
The legal challenge argues that Silman’s July 15 decision unlawfully changes the legal status of crocodiles, removing important licensing and regulatory protections that apply to protected wild animals.
The Israel Prison Service had already begun infrastructure work, including digging a canal around the prison. The National Security Ministry reportedly allocated 21 million shekels (approximately $6.9 million) for the pilot project.
Animal welfare advocates argue the decision exceeded legal authority and ignored expert opinions warning of potential risks to animal welfare, public safety, and the environment.
The government has not yet filed its official position with the court.
Rights organisations welcome court decision
Let the Animals Live and the Environmental Justice and Animal Rights Clinic at Tel Aviv University welcomed the court’s ruling, saying it prevents irreversible construction work while legal proceedings continue. The organisations said they will continue efforts to have the project permanently cancelled.
Criticism of Israeli prison conditions
Since taking office in late 2022, Itamar Ben-Gvir has introduced stricter policies affecting Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention facilities. Human rights organisations have criticised these measures, alleging practices including starvation, medical neglect, solitary confinement, and torture.
Also Read: Gaza Death Toll Rises to 18 as Israeli Strikes Continue Across Palestinian Enclave
According to Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations, approximately 9,500 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, are currently being held in Israeli prisons.
These organisations report that dozens of detainees have died in custody, attributing the deaths to starvation, torture, and inadequate medical care. Israeli authorities have disputed or responded differently to some allegations made by rights groups.
