Israeli Minister Ben Gvir proposes using crocodiles to guard Palestinian prisoners

Security Minister Ben Gvir has a new radical idea: The reptiles are supposed to guard prisoners – as in the now-closed US prison "Alligator Alcatraz."

19 July 2026 | 18:32 Uhr

No radical idea is too outlandish for him: The right-wing extremist Itamar Ben Gvir. Photo: Ammar Awad/reuters

From Jerusalem Serena Bilanceri

Armored reptiles in the service of the state: Israel's Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wants to soon deploy crocodiles around Israeli prisons housing Palestinian inmates. This is intended to nip any potential escape thoughts in the bud.

This sounds like a bad joke. And yet it could soon become reality. Because the Minister for Environmental Protection, Idit Silman, has just changed the status of Nile crocodiles to "bred wild animals," thus paving the legal way for implementing the proposal a little further.

According to Ben-Gvir, this could reduce costs and strengthen security. However, the project raises ethical and legal questions.

• Crocodile farms in Israel have repeatedly caused problems in the past – mainly due to escaped animals that posed a threat to residents.
• According to Israeli media reports, officials from the Nature and Parks Authority criticized that crocodiles are "animals in need of protection, not animals that should protect us."

From an ethical standpoint, critics accuse the plan of being discriminatory because it only affects prisons holding Palestinian security prisoners – i.e., those suspected of terrorism. The fact that potential escapees could be eaten alive also raises questions about human rights and torture. Naji Abbas from Physicians for Human Rights Israel called the idea "appalling." However, it shows that one of the goals of prisons in Israel is to torture and mistreat Palestinians.

Ben Gvir is said to take part in a march of settlers to Gaza

Last but not least, it is questionable whether such a defense measure is actually necessary, as there have been no reports of escaped prisoners in the last five years. A corresponding inquiry from taz to the Israeli authorities remained unanswered.

A few months ago, representatives of the Israeli Prison Service visited a farm in northern Israel that breeds crocodiles. A picture shows them strolling in the enclosures, next to the robust animals. The notorious Ketziot Prison is supposed to test the project. The model is based on the US prison "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida – which, however, was closed again a year after its opening.

On Thursday, the far-right security minister posted a picture of himself with a crocodile on a leash, with the caption: "Thinking about an escape, cursed terrorist? Think again." This is not the first time Ben-Gvir has caused controversy in his office. In May, the harsh treatment of flotilla activists sparked massive international criticism. And on Sunday, according to media reports, the minister is set to take part in a march of settlers advocating for a return to Gaza. However, the military has declared the area there a closed military zone.

The crocodile project still has to overcome several legal hurdles before reptiles could actually swim in ditches next to Israeli prisons.

taz is 100 percent owned by its readers and is therefore not only free of corporate influence but also freely accessible. We make all articles available free of charge, without a paywall. Especially in these times, analyses and information must be accessible to everyone. Our readers don't have to pay anything, but they know that critical, independent journalism doesn't come out of nowhere. We are very grateful for that. So that we can continue tomorrow.