Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed administrative detention orders against four Jewish rioters on Wednesday, after a recommendation to do so by the Shin Bet.
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This marks the next stage in the security forces’ fight against nationalist crime, after the arrests of the suspects, who were prevented from meeting with their lawyers. Now, it’s believed that some members of the government will pressure Gallant to revoke the orders.
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Palestinian car set on fire by settlers, Yoav Gallant
(Photo Shaul Golan, Elad Gershgorn)
"The four detainees have been involved in overt and covert violent incidents for years. In the past, they were arrested and had restraining orders issued against them, yet they continued their activities," according to a senior security official.
“Last week, they targeted Palestinian property, resulting in the burning of vehicles and endangering innocent lives," he said. The official added that some of the suspects were involved in violent incidents in the past "when they acted against IDF soldiers and security forces."
Earlier on Wednesday, Gallant criticized settler violence against Palestinians in the Knesset plenum, referring to the perpetrators as "a dangerous and troubling group."
According to Gallant, these are "outlaws who don’t all come from areas close to the West Bank. This group has grown, and I am concerned about it, as is the prime minister and IDF chief of staff.”
Gallant also addressed his administrative detention orders, explaining that "we carry out administrative detentions in order to prevent individuals from wandering around with fuel tanks and looking for things to burn.”
“We’ve transferred a significant number of forces to the West Bank. We do as much as we can while spreading whatever resources we can and as needed,” he said.
"Yesterday, I proposed the signing of a joint petition by all parties in the government – calling to prevent a situation where a Jewish community takes the law into its own hands and harms innocents. Not in the West Bank or anywhere else," Gallant also said.
The Honenu organization, which provides legal aid for soldiers and civilians, responded to Gallant’s order, saying: "Minister Gallant’s new approach is to inform the media before notifying the settlers about the orders.”
“So far, no settler has received an administrative detention order. Instead of ensuring the security of Israeli residents, he’s engaged in media spins at the expense of Jewish settlers," the organization added.
In addition, 200 members of Bar Ilan University’s academic staff issued a statement condemning acts of revenge against Palestinians in Palestinian territories, under the title "This is not the way of the Torah."
The statement said that: "There can be no justification for intentional harm to the life, body, and property of innocent individuals."
In the statement, the academics also sharply criticized members of the government, saying that they "condemn criminal acts half-heartedly, if at all." They noted that "the current situation, in which the response to violent acts is extremely lenient, and many rabbis and heads of yeshivas remain silent, gives impetus to the escalation of events and bloodshed.”
“This is not a matter of 'taking the law into their own hands,' but rather actions that in and of themselves violate any law or justice, and may nearly be defined as war crimes," the statement added.
Security officials claimed last week that the administrative detention orders issued to suspects involved in recent Jewish riots in Palestinian towns in the West Bank were intended to distance settler youths from the area, thus reducing tensions and preventing escalations.
The use of administrative detentions has also occurred after settler riots in Huwara, which has been proved useful in lowering violence in the area. However, the move drew criticism from settlers, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Shmuel Medad, head of the Honenu organization, which is representing the detainees, said this week that: "Unfortunately, instead of fighting terrorism, the police and IDF vent their frustration on Jews who can no longer remain silent about being killed and are standing up to it. I call on my fellow settlers and the government: Don’t stay silent in the face of this injustice."
Ben-Gvir made similar remarks on Saturday: "Law enforcement can’t be allowed to have different policies for different sectors of the population. Administrative detentions can’t only be used against settlers."
Smotrich also joined the criticism and said" "Administrative detentions against settlers are a draconian and undemocratic step."
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Itamar Ben-Gvir says administrative detention can't only be used against settlers
(Photo: Amit Shabi)
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Gallant and Ben-Gvir held a discussion with Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and other security officials on settler riots in the West Bank, which ended without a clear decision.
Netanyahu emphasized during the discussion, "We’re losing legitimacy on the international stage, and we can’t allow that. We need to act against it."
Ben-Gvir criticized what he feels to be a growing focus on Jewish riots, which the security officials defined as nationalist terrorism. "The highlight was apologizing to the Palestinian Authority" (by Gallant and President Isaac Herzog), he said.
“Do we call an indicted terrorist who spent 10 years in prison, and apologize to him? Should we apologize to those who pay salaries to terrorists?" Ben-Gvir added.
Gallant, who spoke with Palestinian government minister Hussein al-Sheikh in the wake of the Jewish riots and apologized, responded to Ben-Gvir, saying: "We can’t behave like our enemies. We can’t say that 'Arabs are doing it, so we’re allowed to do it too'."