Katz names czar to handle extremist settlers, after nixing administrative detention for them

Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has appointed a former senior IDF officer as a czar to handle extremist settlers in the West Bank.

The move comes after Katz, upon entering the role in November, ordered an end to administrative detention orders for West Bank settlers. The controversial policy of holding suspects without charge is currently only used against Palestinian terror suspects.

Col. (res.) Avichai Tanami is appointed by Katz to be “the czar for handling hilltop youth,” referring to extremist settler activists involved in building illegal outposts in the West Bank and frequently alleged to be involved in violence against Palestinians.

Katz says the decision to appoint Tanami was made following discussions held with the National Security Council, the attorney general, the Shin Bet and other government offices.

“As I vowed, we are implementing alternative and normative tools to address the phenomenon, instead of using the draconian measure of administrative detention orders, which I canceled [for settlers] and completely oppose,” Katz says.

Tanami served in the IDF’s elite Sayeret Matkal unit, and in recent years has been an educator.