A woman holds a painting of the Virgin Mary as she accompanies a Catholic priest supporting people searching for the remains of relatives in the rubble of residential buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
The Associated Press
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- New Israeli Regulation Permits Use of Crocodiles for Prison Security</TITLE]Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has officially reclassified crocodiles from wild animals to “captive-bred wildlife.” This regulatory shift facilitates the use of these reptiles for security operations, including the prevention of prison escapes.National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the decision. Ben Gvir previously proposed a concept in December involving the use of crocodiles to secure prisons for Palestinian detainees, drawing parallels to Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facilities.“Are you thinking of attempting to escape? Think again,” Ben Gvir stated in a social media post on Thursday, accompanied by an AI-generated image depicting himself holding a crocodile on a leash. The post’s caption noted, “Ministers Ben Gvir and Silman are cooperating and encircling prisons with crocodiles!”Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attends a vote at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 13. Photo: EPAThe new classification transfers regulatory oversight of these animals from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to a “security body.” The Israel Prison Service, overseen by Ben Gvir, is among the entities granted this authority.
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![New Israeli Regulation Permits Use of Crocodiles for Prison Security</TITLE]Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has officially reclassified crocodiles from wild animals to “captive-bred wildlife.” This regulatory shift facilitates the use of these reptiles for security operations, including the prevention of prison escapes.National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the decision. Ben Gvir previously proposed a concept in December involving the use of crocodiles to secure prisons for Palestinian detainees, drawing parallels to Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facilities.“Are you thinking of attempting to escape? Think again,” Ben Gvir stated in a social media post on Thursday, accompanied by an AI-generated image depicting himself holding a crocodile on a leash. The post’s caption noted, “Ministers Ben Gvir and Silman are cooperating and encircling prisons with crocodiles!”Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attends a vote at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 13. Photo: EPAThe new classification transfers regulatory oversight of these animals from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to a “security body.” The Israel Prison Service, overseen by Ben Gvir, is among the entities granted this authority.](https://i0.wp.com/cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/og_image_scmp_generic/public/d8/images/canvas/2026/07/19/4fef4c51-291a-44b4-973d-68f5c3e2a7ef_f055c158.jpg?itok=NYAyqC5M&v=1784392709&w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "New Israeli Regulation Permits Use of Crocodiles for Prison Security</TITLE]Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has officially reclassified crocodiles from wild animals to “captive-bred wildlife.” This regulatory shift facilitates the use of these reptiles for security operations, including the prevention of prison escapes.National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the decision. Ben Gvir previously proposed a concept in December involving the use of crocodiles to secure prisons for Palestinian detainees, drawing parallels to Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facilities.“Are you thinking of attempting to escape? Think again,” Ben Gvir stated in a social media post on Thursday, accompanied by an AI-generated image depicting himself holding a crocodile on a leash. The post’s caption noted, “Ministers Ben Gvir and Silman are cooperating and encircling prisons with crocodiles!”Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attends a vote at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 13. Photo: EPAThe new classification transfers regulatory oversight of these animals from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to a “security body.” The Israel Prison Service, overseen by Ben Gvir, is among the entities granted this authority.")
