Israel Moves Closer to Using Crocodiles for Prison Security

DID Press: Israel has reclassified crocodiles under its wildlife regulations, a move that follows a controversial proposal by Itamar Ben-Gvir, the country’s national security minister, to use the reptiles as a deterrent around prisons holding Palestinian detainees.

According to reports, Idit Silman, Israel’s Minister of Environmental Protection, has ordered a legal reclassification that removes crocodiles from the category of “wild animals” and places them under “farmed wild animals.”

While presented as an administrative change, political observers say the move could create a legal pathway for Israeli security agencies to obtain permits to keep crocodiles at designated security facilities.

The decision follows a proposal made by Itamar Ben-Gvir in December, when he suggested adopting security measures inspired by detention facilities in the US state of Florida, where crocodile- or alligator-inhabited surroundings have been cited as natural deterrents against prison escapes.

Ben-Gvir argued that the presence of the reptiles could serve as a cost-effective security measure to prevent escapes and deter unrest at detention facilities.

The legal reclassification would allow Israel’s National Security Ministry, subject to environmental regulations and government approval, to keep crocodiles at specific facilities—something previously restricted under existing wildlife laws.

The proposal has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and prisoner advocacy groups, which describe the use of dangerous animals around detention facilities as inhumane and inconsistent with international standards governing the treatment of detainees.

Critics argue the initiative reflects the current Israeli government’s increasingly hardline approach toward Palestinian prisoners and could further intensify concerns over detention policies.