Israeli minister wants death penalty and crocodile jails for Palestinians only

Far-right Israeli minister of national security has added another depraved proposal to his growing list of punishments for dealing with those ‘pesky’ Palestinians, Israeli outlet News13 has reported this week.

Feed them to the crocodiles

The man who once called for the lynching of Palestinians and proposed a Palestinian-only death penalty bill is now suggesting the creation of a detention facility for Palestinian prisoners surrounded by crocodiles — as a deterrent against jail breaks — a bright idea from a genocidal megalomaniac.

The centre-right leaning Israeli channel described the proposal as ‘unusual,’ revealing that the proposed site would be near the Himat Gader area in northern Israel, close to the border with Jordan and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Ben-Gvir reportedly presented the idea during a security meeting with Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yaacobi last week.

Ben-Gvir’s push for capital punishment

As the Israeli legislature ramps up its unprecedented assault on Palestinian prisoners, the Knesset is set to vote on the next readings of Ben-Gvir’s capital punishment bill in the coming days.

If passed, the bill would give the Israeli state carte blanche to execute Palestinians accused of planning or participating in attacks against Israelis. The bill’s first reading was approved on November 11 — so much for the rule of law and accountability.

In a related development, Israeli data published on December 8 revealed that 110 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli prisons since Ben-Gvir assumed office in late 2022.

Retributive justice?

According to Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations, more than 9,300 Palestinians, including children and women, are currently incarcerated in Israeli prisons, many of them enduring conditions of torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which have contributed to several deaths.

This escalation of violence against Palestinian prisoners coincides with Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, which has resulted in the deaths of approximately 71,000 Palestinians and left over 171,000 injured.

But even with the gates of hell unleashed on Gaza and the escalating war on political prisoners, Ben-Gvir wants to throw in crocodiles for good measure.

Featured image via the Canary and Holly Ward/Unsplash