RAMALLAH, December 7, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli Ofer military court Monday issued administrative detention orders, without charge or trial, against 18 Palestinian detainees, said the Palestinian Prisoner’s club (PPC).

The Israeli human rights center, B’Tselem, stated that, “Under certain circumstances, this type of [administrative] detention may be lawful. However, due to the substantial injury to due process inherent in this measure, international law stipulates that it may be exercised only in very exceptional cases – and then only as a last possible resort, when there are no other means available to prevent the danger.”

“Nevertheless, Israeli authorities routinely employ administrative detention. Over the years, thousands of Palestinians have been held in Israeli custody as administrative detainees for extended periods of time.”

“Israel's use of administrative detention blatantly violates the restrictions of international law. Israel carries it out in a highly classified manner that denies detainees the possibility of mounting a proper defense,’ said the center.

B’Tselem noted that, “Over the years, Israel has also held a few Israeli citizens in administrative detention, among them settlers. These cases are scarce and most of the detainees were held for short periods.”

“B'Tselem's position is that the government of Israel must release all administrative detainees or prosecute them, in accordance with due process, for the offenses they allegedly committed. As long as Israel continues to use administrative detention, it must do so in a way that comports with international law - only in the most exceptional cases, when there is no other alternative, and in a proportionate manner.”

In the meantime, Minister of Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqi, in statement issued on Monday, said that the number of Palestinians held in Israeli jails without charge or trial has reached 520.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the PLO’s Negotiations Affairs Department in early 2015 called for “Repealing discriminatory laws and legislation in particular administrative detention policy and other administrative penalties that have been already abrogated by the British mandate in 1948.”

“The infliction of administrative penalties is an illegal practice by which the right to freedom and fair trial is denied. However, Israel continues to impose administrative penalties in contravention of international humanitarian laws and norms especially Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949, the Hague Conference of 1907, UN Charters and International Resolutions of 1960.”

Following are the names of the 18 detainees who received administrative detention orders:

T.R.