Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has reportedly sounded the alarm against a bill that would grant far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir the ability to order criminal suspects detained indefinitely without trial, among other expanded powers, slamming the legislation as a potential security threat.
“We are convinced that without a rich security context for the use of the tool, the proposal could lead to the undermining of public and judicial legitimacy to the very existence of these tools, and to the expansion of international criticism on the matter,” Gallant has told Justice Minister Yariv Levin, according to Channel 12 news.
“Undermining the legitimacy for these tools may directly cause harm to national security,” he reportedly added.
Administrative detention is a controversial practice whereby suspects are temporarily jailed without charge, trial, or guaranteed access to evidence against them, for renewable increments of up to six months. Currently, a tool reserved for the defense minister to hold terror suspects, there are about 1,000 Palestinians and a small number of Israeli Jews currently in custody through administrative detention.
The bill, which Ben Gvir has said is aimed at countering a wave of violent crime in Arab communities, has been slammed by the State Attorney’s Office as a “threat to democracy” and is said to be opposed by the Shin Bet.
The bill is set to be discussed tomorrow at the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, with the high-level government panel having delayed issuing its stance on it for three consecutive weeks.
