Jerusalem court temporarily blocks Ben-Gvir's plan to use crocodiles as prison security

The plan

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right National Security Minister, first raised the idea of using crocodiles as a deterrent around prisons holding Palestinian security detainees in December 2025, during consultations with prison service chief Kobi Yaakobi. The target was Ketziot prison in the Negev desert, which holds Palestinian security prisoners and people arrested during the Gaza war. The concept drew inspiration from the "Alligator Alcatraz" migrant detention centre in Florida, a facility surrounded by alligators that was promoted by US President Donald Trump and closed in June 2026.

Reclassifying a protected species

To make the plan legally possible, Environment Minister Idit Silman reclassified the Nile crocodile last month. The species was moved from a protected status to a "cared-for wild animal," allowing it to be held by security bodies. This step was taken despite objections from the ministry's own legal advisers and the Nature and Parks Authority. The prison service had already begun digging a 170-metre moat at Ketziot in late July, and 21 million shekels (€6 million) were allocated for the project. Ben-Gvir's office insisted the plan was not a publicity stunt, stating, "Whoever thought it was a gimmick was wrong."

Court steps in for the animals

The animal rights group Let the Animals Live petitioned the Jerusalem District Court, arguing that deploying crocodiles in a prison setting would harm the reptiles. On Sunday, Judge Avraham Rubin issued a temporary injunction that halts the transfer of any crocodiles and all related construction work. He wrote that the allegations of expected harm "deserve an investigation and justify an order prohibiting the transfer or any action related to the location or preparation of the crocodiles for transfer." The court gave the state until Wednesday to respond to the petition.

“Crocodiles are not weapons, nor instruments of punishment, nor props for a political campaign.”

Warnings from nature officials

The Nature and Parks Authority had repeatedly warned against the plan. It stated it had found "no professional or scientific basis anywhere in the world" for using crocodiles as a security measure in a detention facility. The authority also cautioned that introducing a large, non-native predator posed risks to the ecosystem and public safety, citing past incidents in which farmed crocodiles escaped into the wild.

Ben-Gvir's response

Ben-Gvir reacted angrily to the court's decision, accusing the judiciary of obstructing deterrence measures. He claimed the court was "siding with the terrorists" and asserted that detainees were already frightened by the prospect of the reptiles. His office maintained that the prison service was fully prepared, with detailed plans covering the maintenance and care of the crocodiles down to their resting cells.

“We know the terrorists are trembling at the thought of the alligators arriving, but today the court is siding with the terrorists.”

What happens next

The injunction is temporary. The state must submit its response by Wednesday, after which the court will decide whether to issue a permanent order. Until then, no crocodiles will be moved to Ketziot, and construction of the moat remains paused.