“Israel” kills 200 crocodiles in West Bank

“Israeli” authorities have euthanized more than 200 Nile crocodiles at a farm in a West Bank settlement, citing a "danger" to residents, according to the “Israeli” Civil Administration.

The action was met with rejection from the farm's owner and drew criticism from animal welfare organizations.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated that the crocodiles "were held in an abandoned cage in horrific conditions that fall under animal abuse, with insufficient access to food, which drove them to cannibalism."

The Civil Administration, which did not specify how the animals were killed, said it concluded after discussions with veterinary experts that the "real danger to the lives of the residents in the area must be dealt with immediately."

The crocodile farm, located in the settlement of Peza'el in the Jordan Valley, opened in the 1990s. It became a commercial farm after visitor numbers declined following the Second Intifada. In 2013, a law banning the breeding of wild animals for their hides led to its closure, and it has since been abandoned.

The farm's owner, Gadi Bitan, told the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth that he was not informed in advance of the killings, which were carried out Sunday.

Bitan, who has managed the farm for 30 years, called it a "clear execution," and said that one of his employees had his cell phone confiscated during the operation.

"These animals were in good health, they were getting food, and no serious incident has been reported at the farm," Bitan claimed.

The “Israeli” animal welfare organization "Let the Animals Live" condemned the incident, calling it a "horrific and unjustified massacre of protected animals."

The organization noted that “Israel” is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and demanded an immediate investigation.

Videos published last spring showed “Israeli” teenagers throwing stones at the crocodiles at the farm. Since the farm's official closure, there have been reports that some crocodiles have escaped on several occasions, causing concern among residents and visitors in nearby nature reserves.