Court Blocks Ben-Gvir’s Plan To Use Crocodiles As Prison Deterrent

The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday issued an injunction blocking National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from deploying Nile crocodiles to secure prisons holding security detainees. The order follows a petition by the animal rights group Let the Animals Live, which challenged the plan on legal and animal welfare grounds.

What The Court Decided

The injunction prevents the Israel Prison Service and the National Security Ministry from implementing the scheme while the legal challenge proceeds. Authorities had proposed transferring crocodiles from Hamat Gader and stationing them around facilities as a deterrent, with a pilot planned at Ketziot Prison.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attends a House committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem on, June 8, 2026. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Political And Regulatory Context

Last month, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman reclassified the Nile crocodile as a 'cultivated wild animal' in an effort to allow such deployment. That move came despite objections from her ministry's legal adviser and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, which raised concerns about legality, conservation obligations and animal welfare.

"Once again, in a time of war, the legal system sides with the terrorists, thwarting important steps for Israeli deterrence," Ben-Gvir said, criticizing the ruling and arguing the presence of crocodiles would intimidate militants.

Reactions And Next Steps

Animal-rights advocates welcomed the court's decision, saying it halted an untested and potentially harmful use of wild animals. Government officials have said the plan was intended as a deterrent to attacks and prison escapes. The injunction remains in place while the court examines the legal and ethical issues raised by the petition.

Photo: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir at a Knesset committee meeting on June 8, 2026. (YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)