An Israeli court has issued a temporary injunction halting a plan to deploy Nile crocodiles around a prison housing Palestinian inmates until further notice. The ruling was issued after an animal rights organization filed an urgent petition seeking to block the project.
Under the plan, which is backed by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a moat was to be dug around a security wing of the Ktzi'ot Prison in the Negev Desert to house Nile crocodiles. Israeli officials stated that the objective of the project was to heighten security measures and prevent any escape attempts by prisoners.
Reports indicate that excavation work on the moat began approximately a month ago, though no crocodiles have been brought to the site so far. According to published documents, the moat will be roughly 170 meters long and will encompass a section of the prison housing Palestinian inmates.
Since its announcement, the plan has drawn criticism from both human rights and animal welfare organizations. In their petition, animal rights advocacy groups argued that using wild animals as security tools violates animal welfare and wildlife protection laws, subjecting the animals to unsuitable conditions.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch also criticized the plan, stating that such a move reflects what it described as the normalization of violence within the Israeli prison system. The organization further expressed concern over the conditions under which Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli detention facilities.
Under the court’s ruling, the implementation of the plan will remain suspended pending an official response from the Israeli government to the court. Upon receiving the government's response, the court will decide whether to allow the project to proceed or cancel it entirely.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure in Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, has previously faced domestic and international criticism for his hardline policies regarding Palestinian prisoners.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
