Ben Gvir claims he has every right to further restrict visitors to security prisoners

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claims that, contrary to media reports, he has the authority to further limit visits to security prisoners.

His decision, his office says, is based on existing law which governs the Prison’s Service. Ben Gvir says he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to consult with the attorney general to settle the dispute.

A variety of earlier reports, which appear to be based on coordinated leaks from the Prime Minister’s Office, claimed that Netanyahu had rejected Ben Gvir’s demands to further restrict visits to security prisoners to every two months.

Netanyahu was said to fear that such a move could lead to an escalation in violence ahead of the holiday period.