RAMALLAH, November 22, 2024 (WAFA) – The Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry Friday stated that the Israeli ‘Defence’ Minister’s decision to ban the use of administrative detention against colonists would rather encourage the latter to commit more crimes against Palestinians.
It added in a press statement that it viewed with serious concern Israeli ‘Defence’ Minister Israel Katz’s decision announcing the end of administrative detention for colonists who commit crimes against defenseless Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, noting that only very few colonists were placed under administrative detention as part of a revolving-door policy.
It added that this decision would encourage supremacist colonists to commit acts of terrorism against Palestinians and their properties and further foster their impunity.
It called for effective international action to rein in colonists’ militias, end their impunity and protect Palestinians against colonists’ violence.
Israel’s widely condemned practice of administrative detention, which allows the detention of Palestinians without charge or trial for renewable intervals ranging between three and six months based on undisclosed evidence that even a detainee’s lawyer is barred from viewing.
The practice has long been used primarily against Palestinians. However, some settlers involved in recent violent attacks against soldiers and Palestinians have been held in administrative detention.
According to the latest figures from Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, there are currently 3,443 Palestinians held under administrative detention. In comparison, according to the Israeli Kan public broadcaster, there are currently eight colonists in administrative detention.
The decision by minister Katz was hailed by other colonist government partners, including far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.
"Important and huge news… This is a correction of many years of mistreatment, and justice for those who love the land," said Ben Gvir.
Smotrich welcomed the step for ending "long-standing discrimination against settlers," calling the use of the practice against them "draconian and undemocratic".
There are over 700,000 Israeli colonists living in the occupied West Bank in violation of international law.
K.F.
