Silman Reclassifies Nile Crocodiles for Prison Use Despite Legal Objections
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 17
Silman Reclassifies Nile Crocodiles for Prison Use Despite Legal Objections
3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 17
Summary
Idit Silman declared the Nile crocodile a “cultivated wild animal,” clearing a path for Israel’s prison service to deploy crocodiles around prisons under Itamar Ben-Gvir’s proposed pilot at Ketziot.
The move overrode her ministry’s legal adviser, who said the declaration lacked factual support, had no modern professional precedent, and could not lawfully create a new security-use category by ministerial decision.
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority also opposed the plan, saying wild animals may be kept only for education, research or public information—not to guard prisoners—and warning past crocodile farming led to escapes and safety risks.
Silman argued an older approved framework for commercially raised crocodiles already existed, but the issue is expected to return to the authority’s plenum after officials said there is still no legal basis for the prison plan.
Why is Israel reviving a failed US 'Alligator Alcatraz' despite warnings from its own legal and environmental experts?
What does a crocodile moat reveal about the value of Palestinian lives and animal welfare in Israeli policy?
Ben-Gvir’s Crocodile Moat Proposal: Israel’s 2026 Prison Security Shift and the Global Backlash
Overview
In mid-2026, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir revived a controversial plan to boost prison security by surrounding facilities with crocodile-filled moats. Originally proposed in late 2025, the plan aims to deter escapes but faces strong opposition due to past incidents where crocodiles escaped into the wild, posing risks to people. Former environmental minister Gilad Erdan had previously stopped crocodile farming for these reasons. Despite legal and ethical concerns, Ben-Gvir continues to push the proposal, highlighting a determined but divisive approach to prison management that has sparked widespread debate and scrutiny.