Crocodiles and Israel Katz: How Ben Gvir Dismantles State Institutions

The crocodile is the minister's best friend

Those leftist judges again. Jerusalem District Court Judge Avraham Rubin drove a wedge and temporarily blocked the wonderful friendship that was about to blossom between National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and the pet that the honorable minister wishes to recruit and designate for a central role in the fight against terror. Rubin issued a temporary injunction against recruiting crocodiles for patrolling and guarding at Ketziot Prison. The injunction was issued at the request of the "Let the Animals Live" organization through attorneys Hagit Gluska and Amnon Keren. "I believe," the judge wrote, "that the claims regarding the expected harm to the crocodiles if they are transferred to the detention facility as planned are worthy of clarification."

By the way, this is not the first time that crocodiles and "Let the Animals Live" have won in court. In 1996, Supreme Court Justice Mishael Cheshin canceled the human-crocodile "fights" that took place in Hamat Gader for the audience's enjoyment. "What feelings does the crocodile feel during the struggle? Does it suffer physical pain?" Cheshin cried out. Back then, it was about young crocodiles, and this time the adult crocodiles are petitioning against their declaration by Environmental Protection Minister Silman and National Security Minister Ben Gvir as "groomed wild animals" that can be used for security purposes.

Ben Gvir reacted to the temporary injunction with his usual automatic response: "Again, during wartime, the judicial system stands on the side of the terrorists and thwarts important measures for Israeli deterrence." Here, crocodiles, a vicious and cruel animal, have become, by the minister's breath, "important measures for Israeli deterrence." Until today, Israeli deterrence was based on air superiority, on the creativity of missile defense, on the daring of Entebbe, "Spring of Youth," and the attacks on the reactors in Iraq and Syria. And now Ben Gvir has arrived with his two cents for Israeli deterrence — the crocodile, the Kahanist's best friend.

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The message from Netanyahu: be Ben Gvirs

There were days when Prime Minister Netanyahu preached to his ministers "be like Kahlons" so they would imitate the minister who benefited the public by lowering cellular prices. Today, he is as if urging them "be Ben Gvirs." Tomorrow, the Prime Minister is expected to submit his response to the High Court of Justice regarding the petitions to fire the National Security Minister. It can be assumed that Netanyahu will not come out against his political ally. His choice of Ben Gvir is the greatest of his crimes against society and the state in Israel.

Ben Gvir is seeping into every place in the Israeli government. He openly disparages judges and the Attorney General. One of his students-imitators is Defense Minister Israel Katz, an outstanding student in Ben Gvir's government courses. For example, in the course of rewarding associates and removing opponents over the head of the Police Commissioner or the Chief of Staff. This is how Katz fired, in a live broadcast on Channel 14, the Central Command Chief Avi Blot and replaced him with Major General Dado Bar-Kalifa. This is how Katz adopts from Ben Gvir the photos with the forces in the field, and especially the forceful boasting and bragging words intended to establish the image of the bully in a suit of threats who defeats Israel's enemies with a breath of mouth.

The High Court of Justice is also now entering the final stretch before the elections. Therefore, it is hard to assume that it will order the firing of Ben Gvir. The expectations are for more concrete and tighter interim injunctions. In the Ben Gvir case — an interim injunction that will establish a more rigid separation wall between the minister and the police, a wall whose height and strength are seven times more essential during an election period.