Israel Follows Up on Proposal for Crocodile-Filled Ditch to Surround Palestinian Prison

Illustration of a crocodile. (Unsplash/L.Steward Masweneng)

Israeli authorities have taken legal steps to implement a controversial proposal from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to surround prisons holding Palestinian prisoners with crocodile-filled trenches, according to a Hebrew-language media report on Thursday.

Channel 7 Israel said Environment Protection Minister Idit Silman signed an order reclassifying crocodiles as "managed wild animals," allowing government agencies, including the Israel Prison Service, to keep crocodiles in their facilities under certain conditions, as reported by Anadolu (17/7).

The move removes a key legal hurdle that has been holding up the plan, as crocodiles were previously classified as a protected wild animal that can only be kept in licensed zoos, the broadcaster said.

Channel 13 said the change in the law followed objections from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to the proposed project, dubbed a "crocodile prison" by Hebrew-language media.

The right-wing politician Ben-Gvir revealed the proposal about six months ago, calling for the construction of a high-security prison surrounded by crocodile-filled canals to prevent escape attempts by Palestinian prisoners.

According to Channel 7, the Israeli Prison Service has begun to examine the feasibility of the project, including a visit to the zoo to study crocodile handling and care.

The television station said officials believe the crocodile-filled moat could reduce the cost of guarding while strengthening prison security. It added that a young crocodile costs about $8,000, while an adult crocodile can reach $20,000.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli Prison Service on the reported plan or where it might be implemented.

It is known that around 9,500 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli prisons, including women and children, in conditions that Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups say involve starvation, torture, and medical neglect, leading to the deaths of dozens of prisoners.