Israel’s DM Ends Administrative Detention for West Bank Settlers
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the cessation of administrative detention orders for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, marking a significant policy shift regarding the controversial practice of holding suspects without formal charges.
Katz, who met with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar earlier this week, instructed security agencies to develop alternative tools for addressing suspected crimes by settlers, stating, “If there is suspicion of criminal acts, the perpetrators can be prosecuted, and if not, there are other preventive measures that can be taken.”
He continued: “In a reality where the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria is subject to serious Palestinian terror threats and unjustified international sanctions are taken against the settlers, it is not appropriate for the State of Israel to take such a severe measure against the people of the settlements,” using the biblical, often politicized, term for the West Bank.
The decision comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank following the October 7 Hamas attack. Settler violence against Palestinians has escalated, with rights groups criticizing a lack of arrests and prosecutions for such incidents. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), settler violence, intimidation, and harassment displaced 1,722 Palestinians, including 835 children, between October 7, 2023, and mid-November of this year. Just this past weekend, masked settlers reportedly set fire to buildings and a car in the village of Beit Furik near Nablus. No arrests have been made in connection with the attack.
Katz condemned violence against Palestinians and urged settlement leaders to publicly denounce such actions, appealing for stronger leadership to curb vigilante behavior. However, rights groups argue that the removal of administrative detention could weaken enforcement mechanisms against extremist settlers while leaving Palestinians increasingly vulnerable.