Ahead of Palestinian prisoner release in Gaza deal, Katz says he’s freeing settlers held in administrative detention

Defense Minister Israel Katz announces his decision to free West Bank settlers held under administrative detention orders, ahead of the expected release on Sunday or Monday of Palestinian security prisoners in a hostage-ceasefire deal signed with Hamas in Doha last night.

“In light of the expected release of terrorists from Judea and Samaria as part of the hostage release deal, I have decided to release the settlers detained in administrative detention and to convey a clear message of strengthening and encouraging the [West Bank] settlements, which are at the forefront of the struggle against Palestinian terrorism and facing growing security challenges,” he says in a statement.

“It is better for the families of Jewish settlers to be happy than the families of released terrorists.”

Katz in November announced an end to administrative detention orders for West Bank settlers, meaning Israel now only uses the controversial policy of holding suspects without charge against Palestinian terror suspects. A total of 16 administrative detention orders were issued for Jewish Israelis under former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and seven of them were still being held at the time.

His latest decision comes after reports that the government would take additional measures to combat terrorism in the West Bank as part of efforts to convince Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich not to leave the coalition in protest of the Gaza deal.

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