Israel advances plan to use crocodiles at prisons holding Palestinians

Israel is advancing a plan to deploy Nile crocodiles around prisons, particularly Ketziot Prison which holds Palestinians, to prevent escapes. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has previously restricted shower durations and banned inmate bakeries, first proposed the idea in December. Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman reclassified the legal status of Nile crocodiles, enabling their use, despite opposition from her ministry's legal adviser and Israel's Nature and Parks Authority. The Environmental Protection Ministry's legal adviser, Neta Drori, stated that the prison service "does not appear to have expertise in raising dangerous wild animals such as crocodiles." Critics, including former government spokesman Eylon Levy, view the plan as a populist stunt, noting, "There is no problem in Israel of prisoners escaping from prisons."