Ministers again delay decision on bill that would grant Ben Gvir sweeping powers

For the third consecutive week, a government panel puts off making a decision on a bill that would grant far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir the power to order administrative detention for criminal suspects, among other expanded powers.

Proposed by Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party to counter an ongoing violent crime wave in Arab communities, the bill 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 Ministerial Committee for Legislation again delays issuing a decision by a week, and the bill is expected to feature on the panel’s agenda next Sunday. The committee’s support would significantly smooth the bill’s passage through the Knesset.

Administrative detention is a controversial practice whereby suspects are jailed without charge, trial, or guaranteed access to evidence against them for renewable terms of up to six months. In practice, suspects can be held almost indefinitely.

Currently administrative detention is a tool reserved for the defense minister to hold terror suspects. There are about 1,000 Palestinians and a small number of Jewish Israelis being held in administrative detention.