In the wake of the tragic murder of 14-year-old Israeli Benjamin Achimeir in the West Bank, five Jewish settlers suspected of retaliatory violence against Palestinians have been placed under administrative detention. The measures were taken as a response to the escalating tensions and violence in the region, which saw the attack and killing of a Palestinian man and injuries to dozens, including an Israeli journalist, during the ensuing clashes.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed the administrative detention warrants for the suspects, who were apprehended by police in the West Bank, according to a statement from Honenu, a legal advocacy group known for representing far-right Israelis. The group indicated that the five settlers were arrested for separate periods, highlighting some as “married and fathers to children.” One warrant shared by Honenu on social media ordered the detention of an Israeli citizen for six months on grounds of “state security or public safety.” The use of administrative detention has been primarily reserved for Palestinian terror suspects but has seen increasing application against Jewish-Israeli terror suspects, reflecting the authorities’ struggle to manage the burgeoning settler violence.
The situation has been inflamed by accusations from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who used to work for Honenu, against Gallant for issuing the detention orders. Ben Gvir condemned the arrests, equating them to the actions of “the antisemitic court in The Hague” and criticized the move as irresponsible, suggesting it would provide ammunition to Israel’s detractors.“Gallant’s persecution of the settlers is exactly what the antisemitic court in The Hague does to the Israeli government,” Ben Gvir claimed in a social media post, “An irresponsible move by the Shin Bet [security agency] and Gallant that will only give more ammo to the haters of Israel,” he added.
The violence surge in the West Bank can be traced back to a massacre by the Hamas terror group in southern Israel, which led to settler violence already on the rise, as noted by watchdog groups. Since that time, Israeli troops have conducted extensive arrests across the West Bank. The conflict has seen the loss of lives on both sides, with hundreds of Palestinians and several Israelis killed.
Settler violence has spiked significantly, marked by incidents such as the settler attack on the Palestinian village of al-Mughayyir, where homes and vehicles were set ablaze, and in clashes in Beitin and Duma. The issue extends beyond mere retaliatory acts, forming a pattern of persistent violence and intimidation, as Israeli raids continue in the West Bank in an attempt to thwart militant activity.
The Haaretz daily disclosed the identity of one suspect as a minor and revealed the names of the others as Boaz Shpitz, Elhai Carmeli, Tzadok Hacohen, and Neria Zarog. The newspaper reported that Carmeli received a 6-month jail sentence, Hacohen 4 months, and the remaining individuals 3 months each.
Relevant articles:
– Five settlers arrested over deadly reprisals following teen’s murder in West Bank, timesofisrael.com, 04/29/2024
– Israeli troops kill three Palestinians in West Bank: ministry, Yahoo News UK, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 13:38:00 GMT
– Israeli forces kill two Palestinians in occupied West Bank, Press TV, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 13:27:00 GMT
– Palestinian families speak out over rise in killings, violence in West Bank, Yahoo News UK, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:54:39 GMT