In Israel, there were plans to surround a prison for Hamas militants with a moat filled with crocodiles
The Jerusalem District Court has temporarily banned the construction of moats containing crocodiles around the “Kziot” prison, where members of the Palestinian group Hamas are being held. The initiative was intended to serve as an additional security measure to protect the facility.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir proposed placing the reptiles in a moat around the facility.
The court issued the ruling following a petition filed by the animal rights group “Let the Animals Live,” which demanded that crocodiles be reclassified as a protected species. According to animal rights activists, Environment Minister Idit Silman ignored the professional opinions of lawyers and the Nature and Parks Authority, and the government lacked the authority to proceed with this plan.
Representatives of Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority protested the plan, emphasizing the long-term negative consequences of introducing an “alien” predator into the ecosystem, as well as the risks to prison staff.
In his ruling, Judge Avraham Rubin stated that “the claims regarding the potential harm to the crocodiles deserve consideration and justify the issuance of an order prohibiting the relocation or anyactions related to locating or preparing the crocodiles for relocation.”
Rubin ordered a suspension of the crocodiles’ relocation until the court issues a final ruling on the matter. The judge gave representatives of the Israeli government until Wednesday to respond to the petition.
This was reported by The Times of Israel.
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