In a move that strengthens Israeli settler impunity, Defense Minister Katz cancels detention orders for settlers, while Palestinian detainees remain in custody as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas.
Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has announced his decision to release illegal Jewish settlers held under administrative detention, coinciding with the expected release of Palestinian detainees as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
The three-phase deal, set to take effect Sunday, includes an exchange of detainees, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reported on Friday.
“In light of the expected release of terrorists from Judea and Samaria (West Bank – PC) as part of the hostage release deal,” Katz stated, “I have decided to release the settlers detained in administrative detention and to convey a clear message of strengthening and encouraging the settlements, which are at the forefront of the struggle against Palestinian terrorism and facing growing security challenges.”
Israeli Defense Minister Katz has cancelled all administrative detention orders against Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Administrative detention is primarily used against Palestinians, but numerous settlers have also been held in administrative detention.
Their… pic.twitter.com/Igmk86tbBZ
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The exchange is expected to take place either on Sunday or Monday, the report noted.
Katz said, “It is better for the families of Jewish settlers to be happy than the families of released terrorists.”
Policy ‘Only for Palestinians’
This comes after the far-right Minister suspended administrative detention orders in November against Israeli settlers accused of attacking Palestinians, enabling them to evade prosecution, reported MEMO.
Katz said: “It’s better for Jewish settler families to rejoice than for Palestinian families celebrating the release of their prisoners.”
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According to The Times of Israel, the suspension meant Israel “would only use the controversial policy of holding suspects without charge” against Palestinians.
The paper also reported that the domestic Shin Bet intelligence agency said Katz’s decision was made without its prior knowledge. The agency “noted that the defense minister did not consult with the agency for an assessment of the implications of the decision,” it added.
Decision Denounced
Israeli rights NGO, Peace Now, denounced the suspension of administrative detention for settlers as a “cynical and reckless move that whitewashes and normalises Jewish terrorism under the cover of war.”
“Instead of taking firm action against violent settlers, Minister Katz rewards them, sending a dangerous message that violence and terrorism pays. The real cost will be borne by soldiers, activists, and Palestinians on the ground,” the NGO added in a post on X at the time.
The cancellation of administrative detention orders for settlers alone is a cynical and reckless move that whitewashes and normalizes the rise of Jewish terrorism under the cover of war. pic.twitter.com/roHAQSsOut
— Peace Now (@peacenowisrael) November 22, 2024
Israel has long been accused of maintaining a two-tiered legal system for those living in the occupied West Bank; with one set of laws for Jewish-Israelis under criminal law and another for Palestinians, who are tried under military laws, reported MEMO.
Over 12,000 Detained
Israeli occupation forces have arrested 12,100 Palestinians in the occupied territory, including East Jerusalem, since they launched the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, a prisoners’ rights group said.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society said the figure does not include Palestinians detained in Gaza, which are estimated in the thousands.
Record-High Settler Violence: Nearly Four Incidents Daily in West Bank in 2024
The past year has seen the “highest number” of illegal Israeli settler-related incidents in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
At least 858 Palestinians have since been killed and over 6,700 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.
In a landmark advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice declared in July last year that Israel’s ongoing decades-long occupation of Palestinian land was “unlawful ” and should be brought to an end “as rapidly as possible.”
(PC, MEMO)
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