An Israeli court has temporarily blocked a plan to place Nile crocodiles in a moat surrounding a prison holding Palestinian detainees, issuing a restraining order late Sunday that prevents the transfer of the animals to the Ketziot facility.
The ruling by Judge Abraham Rubin came hours after the animal welfare group Let the Animals Live filed an administrative petition against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and the prison service. The National Security Ministry had allocated 21 million shekels (roughly $7 million) for the pilot project, and excavation of the 170-metre moat had begun about a month ago. The plan drew fury from Ben-Gvir, who championed the scheme.
In June, a legal amendment reclassified crocodiles as "captive wild animals" to pave the way for the project. Some 9,500 Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli jails, including more than 350 children.