Israel reclassifies crocodiles, enabling prison moat plan

The Israeli government has moved to enable a controversial proposal to surround prisons holding Palestinian detainees with crocodile-filled waterways, following a legal reclassification of the reptiles. Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman signed a decree on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, changing the status of Nile crocodiles from "protected wild animals" to a new category of "managed" or "cared-for" wild animals. The change allows authorized government security agencies, including the Israel Prison Service, to keep the animals under specified conditions, removing a previous legal barrier that restricted crocodiles to licensed zoos.

The reclassification creates a legal pathway for a proposal first advanced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir approximately six months ago. Ben-Gvir's plan, referred to in Israeli media as the "crocodile prison" or "Alligator Alcatraz," calls for constructing high-security detention facilities encircled by moats containing crocodiles. The stated aim is to deter escape attempts by Palestinian security prisoners and reduce long-term security costs.

According to reports, the Israel Prison Service has already begun examining the...