Minister Silman ordered the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to set conditions for keeping crocodiles in the prison service, which plans to launch a pilot near the Ktzi'ot terrorist prison in the coming days. The directive overrides a court order that had halted the project, according to reports by Amit Segal (N12).
In a direct challenge to the judiciary, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman on Tuesday morning instructed the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) to set conditions for keeping crocodiles within the Israel Prison Service, overriding the Jerusalem District Court’s temporary injunction that blocked the “Crocodile Prison Plan.” The prison service is reportedly planning to launch the pilot in the coming days near the Ktzi’ot detention center, which houses high-security Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.
The court issued its injunction on Sunday evening, August 2, at 18:12 Jerusalem, barring the transfer of crocodiles to the facility. The order came in response to a petition by the animal rights group Let the Animals Live and opposition from the INPA, which argued that the Negev desert environment is unsuitable for the reptiles. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly criticized the ruling shortly after it was issued.
The project, known as the “Crocodiles” project, is part of Ben-Gvir’s broader plan to use Nile crocodiles as a deterrent against captured terrorists. The INPA had previously opposed the plan, and the court’s injunction was a temporary block on its advancement. Minister Silman’s directive effectively instructs the INPA to cooperate despite the existing court order.
The court order remains in effect, and the legal status of the minister’s directive is unclear. The project’s exact purpose, the number of crocodiles involved, and the court’s full rationale have not yet been disclosed.
6 developments
- DevelopingAnimal welfare group demands halt to plan using crocodiles as prison deterrent
- StrongProposed law would allow crocodiles to guard Ketsiot Prison, report says
- StrongMinistry confirms crocodile moat construction at Ketsiot Prison, allocates NIS 21 million
- DevelopingMinister Silman fiercely condemns 'Crocodile Law': 'They speak a language our enemies understand'
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