From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Academics demand Silman retract her support for Ben Gvir’s crocodile prison
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSue Surkes is The Times of Israel's environment reporter
Senior academics in zoology, ecology, and biology appeal to Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman to retract her support for a moat of crocodiles to be created around the Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, near the Egyptian border.
The idea for the jail, which primarily holds Palestinians, is the brainchild of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
However two weeks ago the Jerusalem District Court imposed a temporary injunction freezing the transfer of the crocodiles following a petition filed by the Let The Animals Live animal welfare group.
In today’s letter, the academics call on Silman to revoke her decision to change the classification of crocodiles held in captivity from “protected wildlife” to “managed wildlife,” and to order a complete ban on the use of wild animals a tool for threatening humans or guarding facilities.
“We feel a deep sense of shock at the horrifying notion that wild animals would be used as a tool for intimidation in the State of Israel in the year 2026,” they write. “The question of who those prisoners are is irrelevant. The question is who we are, what we want to be, and how we want to be perceived by ourselves and the world.”
The 35 signatories note that Silman’s stand contradicts the professional opinions of experts within her own ministry, as well as other bodies such as the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
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